Marcus Rashford's Comeback at Manchester United

Harry Maguire believes Marcus Rashford is ready to become a major force at Manchester United again – and this time, to stay.

Rashford made his first Premier League start for the club in 21 months in the 5-2 win over Ipswich at Old Trafford, and looked like the old danger man again, one of United’s most persistent attacking threats in a wild, open game.

Not long ago, that scenario felt remote. His relationship with former manager Ruben Amorim broke down, he was sent on loan to Aston Villa and then Barcelona, and his United career seemed to be drifting towards an amicable separation. Barca had a £26m option to buy. They didn’t trigger it. The door at Old Trafford creaked back open.

Now, with the transfer window closing on Tuesday night, that door looks firmly shut behind him. Rashford, it seems, is staying.

“He’s a great talent,” said Maguire. “He’s always a threat.

“If Marcus wants to be here, wants to work, wants to improve and help the team, of course we’re willing to have him in the team.

“He could still do a lot more and I think he’ll say he can do more but if we keep him fit, we keep him happy, he keeps driven and hungry, he’s a great asset to have.”

Rashford’s rough ride

The noise around Rashford has been relentless. It started long before Michael Carrick took charge, stretching back into Erik ten Hag’s tenure. His work-rate has been picked apart, his commitment doubted, even his basic love for football questioned.

The loans changed something. Under Unai Emery at Villa and Hansi Flick at Barcelona, Rashford rediscovered some sharpness and structure. Those spells away now look less like exile and more like a reset.

Back at United, he finds a familiar figure in the dugout. Carrick knows him, knows his game, knows his moods. That connection is seen inside the club as a crucial advantage.

“You’ve got to remember Marcus has had a wonderful career for this club,” Maguire reminded.

“But when you play at this club for numerous years, there’s going to be bad seasons, and when the bad seasons come everyone piles on you. That’s part and parcel of playing for this club.

“As a club, we haven’t been perfect from top to bottom. We haven’t been challenging at the top end. So, Marcus has been part of a rough ride for Manchester United.

“When that happens, players get dug out. I’ve been through it.”

Maguire knows the cycle. He lost his place and the captaincy under Ten Hag and looked certain to leave at one point. He stayed, rebuilt, and is now one of the voices backing Rashford’s return.

“He’s come back in, really fit and sharp and we’re excited to have him,” the defender added.

Carrick has even described Rashford as feeling like a new signing, a line that underlines both how far the forward drifted and how central he could become again.

Mainoo’s rise – and another test of Carrick’s touch

Rashford is not the only player Carrick is trying to relaunch.

Kobbie Mainoo, repeatedly overlooked by Amorim, has been transformed under the new head coach. The midfielder started his first game of the season against Ipswich, grew into the contest after United fell behind, and imposed himself as the match wore on.

“I thought he was brilliant,” said Maguire.

“To say he hasn’t had many minutes in pre-season, he was magnificent.

“His work without the ball has improved so much since Michael’s been in. He’s becoming a real monster in there, wins a lot of second balls and a lot of duels.”

Mainoo’s club form surged under Carrick, but his momentum stalled on the international stage. England boss Thomas Tuchel took him to the World Cup and then never used him, a bruising experience for a young player riding a wave.

Now it falls to Carrick to lift him again.

“The thing is he’s so young. If we want him to play for this club for another 10 years, there’s going to be times where he’s going to go through a patch like I spoke about with Rashy and myself,” Maguire said.

“But that’s part and parcel. He’s really level-headed, really composed and has great belief in his ability.

“He’s going to be a magnificent player for this club for many years.”

United’s season will not be defined by one chaotic win over Ipswich. But in Rashford looking sharp, in Mainoo growing into responsibility, and in Maguire speaking from the experience of his own battles, there is a clear thread.

Carrick’s United are trying to turn rough rides into comebacks. The question now is how far those revivals can carry them.