Two Manchester United players are handing Marcus Rashford a lifeline

At this point last season, Marcus Rashford had scored eight times for Manchester United and had bagged three goals for England at the World Cup.

He admitted the finals were a real boost for his campaign and he ended up scoring another 22 times to become the first United player to score 30 goals in a single season since Robin van Persie a decade earlier.

On the way, he equalled Dennis Viollet’s record of scoring in nine consecutive home games and matched Wayne Rooney’s feat of scoring 10 winning goals in a single campaign. It led Erik ten Hag to suggest Rashford has the capability of banging in 40 goals.

READ MORE: Keane and Carragher's scathing verdict on Rashford

READ MORE: Rashford handed unwanted United comparison

The 26-year-old will need to score 38 more in the next six months to do that this time around. Rashford has netted just twice all season, one of which was from the penalty spot versus Everton.

That goal, in fact, makes him United’s top-scoring striker in the league for the season so far. Rasmus Hojlund takes the overall lead with five Champions League goals but he is yet to find the net after 10 Premier League matches.

It all goes to depict the problems they have faced in attack this season. Rashford looks more like the confidence-sapped figure of the 2021/22 season and is fortunate not to have been dropped already.

Many are calling for the attacker to be benched against Chelsea on Wednesday and he could have no arguments if he was. The reality is, though, the alternative options are not overly appealing.

Rashford has been played out on the right with Alejandro Garnacho taking up the left berth and Antony dropped. The Brazilian has started just one of the last five Premier League matches and has failed