Marcus accepts last season was a challenging one for him. Indeed, it was the first time he had failed to reach double figures since his breakthrough year, 2016, when he was involved in just four months of first-team action.
But following a good few weeks to rest and recharge in the summer, and under the influence of new manager Erik ten Hag, he is once again leading the Reds’ attack with conviction.
“I didn’t know that I needed it,” Rashford admits, “but when I’ve had it [the break] and when I came back, even towards the end of holidays, I was just eager to get back on the pre-season tour and just start playing games.
“There was a lot of things to look forward to. I just wanted to start the process and I probably needed [the break for] the mental side of things more than the physical, really.”