'He needed some help' - what Marcus Rashford has done to improve Manchester United form

Erik ten Hag admits Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford "needed some help" to regain form and that he has improved his professionalism and discipline.

Rashford has scored three goals in the last two games after tallying a meagre eight last season, when he was disciplined twice by the United manager.

The 26-year-old attended a birthday party on Deansgate hours after the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City last October and he was dropped from the squad for the FA Cup tie at Newport County after embarking on a boozy bender in Belfast three days earlier.

READ MORE: Garnacho gesture shows United are improving in another area

READ MORE: United to make decision on two returning players

Friction also developed between Rashford and United matchgoers, who vented at the academy graduate during the 3-0 loss to Liverpool at the start of the month.

Ten Hag has started Rashford in all six games this season and the England international is set to keep his place for the trek to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

"I think every player who plays in the Premier League, but definitely in this club, you need some resilience," Ten Hag said. "Not any football career is only the way up, you always go down. You have to deal with it.

"Marcus Rashford has also experienced, he knows when there are setbacks, how to get fightback, how to set his career, his performance. He took control of it and I think he is on the way back. He started the season very good, now he has to continue and to progress."

When asked if new assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has helped Rashford at all, Ten Hag replied: "Probably he needed some help, by backing him for instance.

"At the end of the day, he has to do it by himself. He has to set his life right, his training