Published 16:21 IST, September 20th 2019
Manchester United didn't have this 'togetherness': Marcus Rashford
"Manchester United didn't have this togetherness before two years", said Marcus Rashford after team's win against Astana on September 19 with Greenwood 's goal
- SportFit
- 3 min read
English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team, Marcus Rashford praised his team on September 19 for the 'togetherness' which he feels the club was lacking two years back. Marcus spoke to the media after Manchester United's victory at Astana's match. The team kicked off their Group L campaign with a stuttering 1-0 victory, thanks to teenage sensation Mason Greenwood, at home to Astana on Thursday. Marcus is a firm believer in the youngster.
"It wasn't the best performance but there was a lot of good stuff, they're tough to break down. If I look back to two years ago, I don't think the team had the togetherness to come through a game like that," Rashford said. Talking about the match and opposition, he added, "Everyone expects it to be easy but the opposition have come to win so it's always tough," he said.
Manchester United Vs Astana
In Friday's match, both teams gave each other a tough competition during their Europa League clash on Friday. But in the 73rd minute, Mason Greenwood scored a goal, handing Manchester United a 1-0 victory. United was not in its best form as Solskjaer named a youthful XI, but Rashford was happy with what he saw at Old Trafford. As United named their youngest XI in a Europa League or Champions League game since December 2012, Portuguese full-back Diogo Dalot was also in the starting line-up. This was Dalot's first appearance of the season since injury postponed the start of the 20-year-old's campaign at the Theatre of Dreams. However, the entire match was about Greenwood who is set to take on more responsibility this term following the departures of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez. Talking about the team's preparations, Dalot said that everyone has been working hard be it Mason, [Tahith] Chong, Angel [Gomes], and the others and himself. Speaking about the match and the competition from the opposed team, Rashford said that opposition comes to a match with a winning mindset, so it is always tough. On United's young players, Dalot added that the club believes that one is good enough when one is old enough. If the players keep working hard, they will get a chance, he concluded.
United's upcoming match
Greenwood was one of four players making their first European start as he lined up alongside Angel Gomes, Tahith Chong and Axel Tuanzebe on Astana's match. The win marked the first time that Manchester United had won back-to-back competitive matches since March. The team will be looking to make it three in a row on Sunday when they take to the road to face West Ham. In the Premier League through five rounds of games, the Old Trafford side sits fourth.
(With inputs from ANI)
Updated 16:42 IST, September 20th 2019