Marcus Rashford’s performance against Ipswich Town was the first step in winning over Old Trafford faithful

Marcus Rashford has been through a rather eventful time in his career over the past two years. Ever since he spoke about wanting a new challenge away from Manchester United in December 2024, the Englishman has gone on to suit up with Aston Villa and Barcelona while also getting back into the international set-up, having represented England at the recent World Cup.

Even after coming back to training at Carrington, not many expected Rashford to stay at the club beyond the transfer window given the manner of his temporary exits, despite the fact that Barcelona refused to pay the €30m fee to make his loan a permanent deal.

It is no secret that the Man United fans currently stand on divided ground when it comes to Rashford. In what was his first start for the club in over 18 months, the 28-year-old had to make his second debut trying to win over the fans who used to swoon and serenade his name in happier times.

However, the warm applause he received when he was substituted after 80 minutes felt like a clear and visible sign of the hostilities thawing, as he was cheered for the shift and a half he put on the pitch.

In what was his first Old Trafford appearance since 2024, Rashford had a solid, if not spectacular, outing. And while he was unable to score or assist (he did come close to scoring, but his volley was well saved by Ipswich keeper Kjell Scherpen), he was lively and ran himself into the ground.

The Old Trafford crowd are a demanding one, in the sense that while they will love you and cheer for you, they will want something in return: and that is the willingness to show that you are ready to do the dirty work.

The biggest gripe that fans have had against Rashford is that he has been unwilling and reluctant to defend, track back, and do all the off-ball work required to help the team. However, against Ipswich, Rashford showed a willingness to track back and do the defensive work, crunching in on a firm challenge to strip Julio Enciso off the ball as early as in the tenth minute, and then another one on Abdul Fatawu just before his substitution.

Rashford presents an entirely different skill set compared to the other attacking options that head coach Michael Carrick has at his disposal. He linked up very well with Luke Shaw on the left flank and used the latter’s overlapping runs to good effect. There was also the dribble that sat down two Ipswich players, but he did not get the end product.

There is still a long way to go for Rashford to fully redeem himself to the Old Trafford faithful. 80 minutes is not enough to build broken bridges. The only way to do that is to perform the same way he once did on a consistent basis.

But this is a good first step for Rashford to endear himself to the fans once again in what could be a fascinating second chapter for him at his boyhood club.