Manchester United get Marcus Rashford boost at the perfect time

The end-of-year international breaks tend to be a bigger buzz-kill than the guy whipping out an acoustic guitar at a house party.

The new Premier League season has just got going and is starting to take shape but all the momentum and excitement is brought to an abrupt halt. Two weeks between games and you begin to wonder what to do with yourself.

But this time around, it's actually come as a welcome relief for Manchester United. Though they did manage to pick up a win against Brentford before the pause in action, it was only a late turnaround that stopped another dreadful defeat and the majority of the performance was no different to the abject ones that came before it. Erik ten Hag's side had no momentum to lose and the break has instead offered a chance to stop the downward spiral and hopefully come up with a way to reverse it.

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Additionally, United's extensive casualty list may have shrunk at least a little bit by the time they're next in action and the break has also given the opportunity for the club's underperforming stars to rediscover their form away from the stifling, stressful environment of Old Trafford. An opportunity Marcus Rashford has grasped with both hands.

The forward has seen his club form nosedive this season, at a time when he should be more confident than ever after registering a career-high tally of 30 goals last season alongside a further 11 assists. Instead, he has been struggling to find the back of the net, with just one goal to his name so far, and his decision-making in dangerous positions has often been baffling, leading to many wasted