Marcus Rashford responds to Erik ten Hag challenge with eight-word message

Marcus Rashford said he wants to wear his shooting boots at the end of the season and prove Erik ten Hag incorrect.

Building on his season-opening goal from last Saturday, Rashford, 26, scored twice as Manchester United thrashed League One outfit Barnsley 7-0 in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday. Ten Hag’s club triumphed handily at Old Trafford because the Red Devils striker scored goals both before and after halftime.

With Rashford opening the score with United’s second goal, the outcome was even more resounding than United’s 3-0 victory over Southampton on Saturday. After the game, Ten Hag compared his strike to the first drop of ketchup that comes out of a bottle, with more to come.

Rashford has since responded, telling Sky Sports, “It’s early to say but I hope so,” after hammering Barnsley. “Let’s just rest, recover, and concentrate on that one as we move on to the next game,” he said.

“Football is just football; there are never really any good or bad moments. In order to win these games, we need to build momentum, become consistent, and give it our all.

While United finished eighth in the Premier League and won the FA Cup, Ten Hag admits that the previous season was “tough” for all of his players, even the goal-averse Rashford. The Red Devils manager, though, is hoping that the 26-year-old and his colleagues can get better this season because his career is on the line.

“He had this vibe and this good mood in my first season, too,” Ten Hag said. “When I see Marcus Rashford, I know he will score, so I’m at ease. Even though I think everyone had a challenging season, we had the good fortune to win a trophy the previous season—something you won’t quickly forget.

But in the end, we had determined what we wanted to do and had done so; this is what we want to do this season as well. We have a lot of ambition and wish to grow as a group. We also wish to develop and progress. Individual players matter as well; based on what I saw, Marcus Rashford is motivated to score goals. But not just Marcus Rashford—the entire team is incredibly motivated and goal-oriented.