Marcus Rashford now the go-to man to restore Man United to former glories

In the present, it appears Jose Mourinho still has to convince even some of his own club’s supporters he is the man to restore Manchester United to the top of the English and European game.

But the closing weeks of a grueling campaign have proved beyond all reasonable doubt, in Marcus Rashford, United have found their future. The scorer of a stunning free-kick that won the first leg of this Europa League semi-final in Vigo last week, the teenager produced a sublime cross that allowed Marouane Fellaini to head in a goal last night which proved vital.

With Wayne Rooney’s United career winding down through its final perfunctory weeks and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, maybe, never to be seen in club colours again, Rashford’s late-season dominance presents Mourinho with a quandary.