Marcus Rashford, Manchester United
England striker Marcus Rashford. iTV Sport/YouTube Screenshot

KEY POINTS

  • Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has all the praises for Marcus Rashford
  • Rashford scored the opening goal in the 3-0 Nottingham Forest win
  • Ten Hag and midfielder Casemiro have brought Manchester United to a different level

Manchester United is enjoying a Renaissance period and is just one leg away from reaching the finals of the English League Cup.

Club manager Erik ten Hag appreciates everything that Marcus Rashford has done of the club in the annual knockout tournament.

As he is wont to do this season, Rashford again starred for Manchester United after scoring the opening goal of the first leg of their semifinal match against Nottingham Forest while newcomer Wout Weghorst and Bruno Fernandes pitched in to make a 3-0 win.

In ten Hag's eyes, Rashford deserves all the praise in the world for his work on the pitch.

"There are more players who are playing really well but I am happy with Marcus (Rashford), his performance and his development... We have to keep his process going and if he is in that mood and spirit, I think he is unstoppable," ten Hag mentioned in the postgame presser.

"It is [up] to the team to get him in the right positions."

Rashford ensured to make his impact be felt by Nottingham Forest as he ran down the near-side unchallenged until the very last minute and split two defenders on his way to the goal inside the box with his left foot - in just six minutes.

Him putting up another striking masterclass is not entirely surprising since he has found a new level of greatness under Ten Hag's guidance.

It should be noted that the Red Devils' performance this season can be attributed to the arrival of Brazilian defensive midfielder Casemiro.

Manchester United reportedly paid Spanish La Liga behemoths Real Madrid £60 million ($74.3 million) and £10 million ($12.3 million), later agreeing to an extension for four years with an option to extend his deal by an additional year.

Casemiro has allowed guys like Rashford and Bruno Fernandes to set up the counterattack quickly and often, as seen in his performance in their win against crosstown rival Manchester City on January 14.

Things have never looked this good in so long and optimism has only continued to grow for one of the most globally-known clubs in soccer after almost a decade of dismal performances due to a multitude of factors like the lack of stability in the manager spot and the inability to bring in effective pieces.

Ten Hag has brought in a different culture to Old Trafford and fans have grown to embrace him as one of their own.

Manchester United will next be in action against Reading in an English FA Cup fixture on Saturday, January 28.

Erik ten Hag, Manchester United
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 04, 2022 in Manchester, England. Michael Regan/Getty Images