Marcus Rashford enjoying life under Erik ten Hag

Marcus Rashford says Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is a "joy to work with" as the rejuvenated forward gradually gets back to his best.

The 2021-22 season was the most challenging campaign of the 24-year-old's career to date, with last year's heart-breaking penalty shoot-out miss in the Euro 2020 final loss to Italy compounded by injury, poor form and criticism.

Rashford managed just five goals in 32 appearances during a poor club season on both an individual and collective basis, but things are on the up at United under summer appointment Ten Hag.

The Old Trafford giants remain a work in progress but the meticulous Dutchman's fingerprints have been clear since pre-season, leading to improved performances and togetherness.

"The manager's a joy to work with, really," Rashford told the PA news agency.

"Is it hard work? Yeah, but I think we are enjoying it and we're playing better football. I feel like when we don't concede goals, we've got a good chance of winning games because we're creating chances.

"We just need to finish them off, be a bit more clinical in front of goal."

Rashford is United's top scorer in all competitions but knows he should have more than six goals - a figure that is already one more than he managed last term.

He says he was able to recover mentally and physically from that mightily disappointing campaign during a rare summer off having again been omitted from the England squad for June's Nations League fixtures.

But Rashford's upturn in form in recent months has caught Gareth Southgate's eye, giving him a chance of being named in his World Cup squad after injury extinguished any hope of a September call-up.

"I feel like I'm getting there," the England international said of his form. "But, yeah, I'm a