Marcus Rashford is missing his old partner at Manchester United

For 93 minutes, it felt like the same old story for Manchester United yesterday: dropped points in another match they should be winning, a cheap goal conceded, and inexcusable performances from their star players.

Scott McTominay's late double certainly lifted the mood to give Erik ten Hag much-needed respite heading into the latest international break, and while the win should be celebrated, the recurring issues can't be overlooked.

United were always expected to improve this season after solid foundations were set during Ten Hag's debut campaign, though for that to be the case, a lot of players would also have to replicate their excellent form at the very least.

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Ten Hag's side finished with 36 fewer goals than Man City and 30 fewer than Arsenal last season, and while it was easy enough to say signing an elite scorer would close that gap, it also relied on Marcus Rashford reproducing his best-ever season in front of goal. That looks highly unlikely now.

Rashford has netted just one goal from 10 appearances so far this season and looks completely devoid of the same confidence that propelled him to a world-class level last season.

Yesterday marked the third match in a row that Rashford has been substituted while United went in search of a goal, and it was his earliest withdrawal from a match this campaign as well.

The 25-year-old is stuck in a cycle in which his confidence is dropping and he is almost trying too hard to try and resolve it, with poor decision-making in the final third.

The natural instinct of any gluttonous goal scorer is to back themselves, even from the most impossible of angles, though Rashford