Marcus Rashford showed the commitment and defensive effort needed to win back Manchester United supporters during the 5-2 victory over Ipswich, according to Rio Ferdinand.
Rashford started the match and was singled out for praise by Ferdinand after the final whistle. The former England defender said the forward had worked tirelessly, contributed without the ball and demonstrated a willingness to put the team first.
“Marcus Rashford was fighting, working hard, and actively tracking back,” Ferdinand said.
He highlighted one particular moment late in the match, when Rashford made an important defensive intervention near his own goal.
“I remember that around the 79th minute, he made a tackle on the edge of his own penalty area and won the ball back.”
For Ferdinand, however, the significance of Rashford’s display went beyond the tackle itself. He said the most important aspect was the response from the supporters inside the stadium, given the uncertainty surrounding how the Manchester United fans would react to the player.
“More importantly, it was the reaction of the fans in the stadium, which has concerned many people.”
Rashford, along with his family and those close to him, had been concerned about the reception he would receive. Ferdinand said they had all been wondering what attitude the supporters would show towards him.
“Rashford himself, his family, and those around him had all been worried: what kind of attitude would the fans show?”
The former defender said the clearest route back to the fans’ approval would not necessarily be through goals, assists or individual attacking quality. Instead, he believes Rashford must continue to demonstrate his commitment through his running, defensive work and willingness to make difficult contributions for the side.
“If I were to give Rashford advice, I wouldn’t focus on goals, assists, or individual technical aspects in attack.”
Ferdinand said Rashford’s priority should be to rebuild his relationship with the supporters by working harder for the team and showing greater responsibility when Manchester United do not have possession.
“I would say: how to regain the fans’ approval, improve running activity, actively track back, make tackles, make sacrifices for the team, and show a sense of responsibility.”
The comments came after Manchester United’s emphatic 5-2 win against Ipswich, in which Rashford was included in the starting line-up. Ferdinand’s assessment focused particularly on the forward’s attitude and defensive contribution rather than his attacking statistics.
“Only by doing these things can I regain the fans’ support.”
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