This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Speaking on talkSPORT, Adrian Durham has suggested Marcus Rashford is “too good” for Manchester United, and would be “world-class” now were he at Manchester City.
What did he say?
The England international suffered a difficult start to the current campaign, going on a streak of just one goal in seven Premier League games. However, he has experienced a sharp upturn in form in recent games, and scored in matches against Liverpool, Norwich and Chelsea in quick succession.
Now, Durham has made a huge claim by insisting the 22-year-old could have developed considerably more had he been working under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.
He said: “I think we’re too harsh on Rashford and I think he’s too good for Manchester United. It’s hypothetical, but just imagine he was at Manchester City learning under Pep Guardiola over the last three or four years, can you image how good he might be then?
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“I think he’s already a terrific player, but imagine how much better he would be if he’d been at Man City where they’re settled and they’re learning from Guardiola? Look at how good Raheem Sterling has become… Rashford would be bordering on world class now. Rashford has had to go through different managers, he’s been in and out of the team, he’s played in different positions.
“Should Rashford be slumming it in the Europa League? I personally don’t think so, I think he’s a Champions League player, I think he’s that good. I think he’s selling himself short being at Man United.”
Hard to argue
It may not be prove to be a popular argument in the red half of Manchester, but Rashford undoubtedly would have made huge strides in his game had he been learning under Guardiola for a number of years. As Durham quite rightly points out, it’s difficult for a young player like him to constantly having to adapt to new managers and new styles of player.
With Guardiola, the England international would have been focusing on one streamlined approach, and that may have helped him enormously in realising his full potential much earlier. Sterling’s dramatic improvements in recent seasons – he managed 25 goals and 18 assists last year – proves the City boss is an excellent coach. So whilst it may be a difficult pill to swallow for United fans, it’s hard to argue Rashford would not have experienced a similar rise in form and ability had he been at the Etihad.
