Marcus Rashford upholding Man United tradition, claims Juan Mata

Marcus Rashford is restoring pride at Old Trafford with his remarkable start to his Manchester United career, according to the 18-year-old’s experienced team-mate Juan Mata.

Rashford struck two more goals in United’s thrilling 3-2 win over Arsenal on Sunday in what was arguably the brightest moment in the most trying of recent seasons for the club.

Mata is convinced United’s young stars, led by Rashford, could have rescued the campaign after boss Louis Van Gaal had no choice but to blood them to due to a lengthening injury list.

Mata said: “With such a good team performance it’s never fair to highlight this or that player, but of course all of us are very happy for Marcus Rashford.

“He’s played just a few minutes with the first team and has already scored very important goals, showing his great potential and giving us a hint of the bright future that I’m sure he has and that I wish to him.

“Besides, the club’s tradition and its connection with the academy is making the fans proud of the great moment that Marcus and other team-mates are living, for they can see that the work with the young players is being rewarded.”

United team-mate Morgan Schneiderlin also hailed Rashford, who is expected to get the chance to extend his stunning start to life in the top-flight when United face Watford at Old Trafford tomorrow night.

Schneiderlin said: “It is amazing for him. He reminds me a bit of Anthony [Martial], the way he started, scoring against Liverpool and against Southampton. It’s the same for Marcus; he is a very good player.

“He didn’t train [with the first team] many times, but when he did train we could see straight away that he had this quality.”

United’s 3-2 win over Arsenal brought Louis van Gaal out of his dugout seat and on to the floor, but it was Marcus Rashford’s latest brace that had the Old Trafford faithful on their feet.

Visiting boss Arsene Wenger admitted United could have unearthed a gem.

“The player who was surprising for me talent-wise was Rashford because of the timing of his movement and his intelligence,” the Frenchman said.

“His movement in the box was great and he could be a very positive surprise for Manchester United on what I’ve seen.”

Having now scored eight times in their past two home games, Rashford’s arrival on the scene has helped reinvigorate a United side that have failed to captivate their home supporters on numerous occasions this season.

Boss Van Gaal, often criticised for staying on the bench when things have been going wrong, was even coaxed out on to the touchline on Sunday, although it was his belief Alexis Sanchez had dived, rather than Rashford’s brilliance, which prompted him to move to fourth official Mike Dean’s side.

His attempt to emulate Sanchez’s fall on the sideline was warmly received by the fans at Old Trafford, yet Van Gaal regretted the histrionics.

“That was too emotional — it is not good for the referee and the linesman and the fourth official,” he admitted.

“It doesn’t happen much normally — I have had a lot of criticism because I am sitting on my bench and now I am off my bench and I have lot of criticism because I’m doing that.

“I have apologised to the referee and the linesman and I hope everything is solved. I have to control my emotions and I have said that also to my players.”

On Rashford, he added: ‘’I think his performance was better than the first match. Normally the first matches a debutant plays are good, but it is the consistency — he has to show it in the third, fourth, fifth match. But what he showed in his second match is special, I think.’’

Sanchez was one of a number of Arsenal players who underwhelmed against their injury-hit hosts, with goals from ex-United striker Danny Welbeck and midfielder Mesut Ozil counting for nothing in the end.

The defeat left Wenger’s men five points off pacesetters Leicester and three behind north London rivals Tottenham ahead of the final 11 games, not that their manager is conceding defeat in the title race.

“We dropped three important points but we have to show we are up for the fight and bounce back on Wednesday,” said Wenger, whose side host Swansea tomorrow night.

“We have to not feel sorry for ourselves. Mathematically, what it means, we will only know at the end of the season.”

Gunners keeper Petr Cech insists the loss will not knock his side’s belief that they can go on to claim the Premier League title.

Cech said: “We still have a chance, so we will go for it until the last minute.

“This was a big disappointment for us and is a step back after last week, where we managed to overcome a deficit against Leicester at home. This is a step back but we need to keep working.

“We can still make up for this. We have two important games coming up this week and if we manage to win both, the table might look better again.”