Manchester United: Who will Marcus Rashford replace in starting XI?

It’s not taken him long, but Marcus Rashford has won over Jose Mourinho after initially starting the season on the bench. But who should the teenager now replace in the Manchester United starting lineup?

Jose Mourinho has intimated that Marcus Rashford has finally worked his way into the Manchester United starting lineup. Rashford initially started the season on the bench, but a series of impressive cameos have now forced Mourinho’s hand.

United play Feyenoord in the Europa League on Thursday and the United boss has confirmed that Rashford will start in that game. Whether Mourinho keeps his word for the long-term is another thing, but Rashford will be in the United team for now anyway.

So, who exactly does Marcus Rashford replace in the Red Devils 11? Zlatan Ibrahimovich has been fantastic so far this season and the Swede’s position will be about as safe as it gets. Wayne Rooney has played as the number 10 so far and has been hit and miss – mainly miss.

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Whilst the wide positions have yet to really be claimed. Juan Mata has been the best player on the flanks, but doesn’t seem to be an automatic choice for Mourinho no matter what. Anthony Martial is yet to reach the levels of last season. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is, let’s say, not quite acclimatized yet.

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So the wide areas seem to represent the biggest opening for Rashford. However, dropping Rooney and playing Rashford up front with Ibrahimovich would make for a mouth-watering attack, too. Ibrahimovich can drop a little deeper – not as deep as Rooney – to play more like a number 10 and Rashford could give United some much needed pace to threaten in behind the opposition.

The front two of Rooney and Ibrahimovich, although talented, is slow and methodical. An injection of pace is just what the United strikeforce needs. Still, would Mourinho really drop Rooney? If he does, it won’t be after four Premier League games.

Maybe Christmas and beyond will be a different story, but not right now. The likelihood in the short-term is that Rashford will have to make his mark from a wide area. Mata should be the player on the right hand side. In the bigger games, maybe that changes for tactical reasons. But for 75 percent of United’s games, the Spaniard should be present.

Then Rashford should be the man on the left. Martial is not hitting the same heights as last year and Rashford is like a man possessed. For now, that’s the best way forward. The Martial of last season puts pressure on Rooney, with Rashford then, perhaps, being moved centrally. But that’s down the road.

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Martial needs to recover his best form. It’s natural for young players to have a dip and that’s okay. This season, the beginning of it anyway, is his dip. He’ll be back. But Rashford has earned his place in the team based on recent performances.

Martial was not in the starting lineup for the first time this season for the derby against Manchester City. That trend should now continue with Marcus Rashford taking the Frenchman’s starting place on the left wing.

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