da aviator aposta： The England international briefly silenced the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, but couldn't go on and complete his redemption arc

da gbg bet： "If you back me, good. If you doubt me, even better." Marcus Rashford could scarcely have backed up his strong words in better as Manchester United stunned their arch-rivals City in the eighth minute of Sunday's derby encounter thanks to an unstoppable 25-yard strike from the England forward that cannoned into Ederson's net off the crossbar, sparking euphoria in the away end at the Etihad Stadium.

It was one of the best goals of Rashford's entire career, and he celebrated by pointing to his temple in what has become his trademark move, indicating that he considers his mental strength to be his most powerful tool, rather than his right foot. But one moment of brilliance is not proof of psychological maturity, and it's certainly not enough to make up for what has been a hugely disappointing 2023-24 campaign for a player who already seems to have peaked at the age of 26.

City came back to earn a fully-deserved 3-1 victory while Rashford was substituted 15 minutes from time after fizzling out in pathetic fashion. His list of doubters is longer than ever now, and if this is all he has to offer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS would be wise to get his £350,000-per-week wages off United's books in the summer.

Getty'Disinterested again'

Some 10 minutes after opening the scoring at the Etihad, Rashford had a fantastic chance to break through on goal after being played in by Bruno Fernandes, but his heavy first touch allowed Kyle Walker to race back and cut out the danger. Moments later, Fernandes teed Rashford up again, this time with a deep cross, only for the England international to completely mistime his volley and fall to the turf.

Rashford was then seen signalling to the bench in discomfort, and although he felt well enough to continue, his threat was almost non-existent thereafter. He was barely able to stay on his feet in the second half, and once again came out second-best in a foot race with Walker before Foden went up the other end to score City's equaliser – as the referee ignored his calls for what would have been a very soft foul.

When Erik ten Hag finally decided to put Rashford out of his misery, United were hanging on for dear life, but the fact he was replaced by Brazilian flop Antony, arguably the club's worst signing of the last decade, summed up the abject nature of the former academy hero's performance.

Ten Hag confirmed that Rashford wasn't at "100 percent" after the game, before insisting he "gave everything" to the collective cause, but former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock offered a far more accurate assessment in the studio. “He looked disinterested again," said Warnock. "It was almost like he’s scored his goal and that was the point he was like ‘I’ve done my bit now’. The tracking back, the working hard, the being strong in possession [wasn’t there].”

AdvertisementGettyTalk is cheap

Rashford has just six goals to his name from 33 appearances for United across all competitions this season, and has twice been punished internally for breaches of discipline. Questions have rightly been asked over his attitude, but instead of taking the criticism that has come his way on board, he felt the need to pen an open letter titled 'Who I really am'.

"If you ever question my commitment to United, that's when I have to speak up," Rashford added in his first-person piece for . "It's like somebody questioning my entire identity, and everything I stand for as a man. I grew up here. I have played for this club since I was a boy. My family turned down life-changing money when I was a kid so I could wear this badge."

It all amounted to little more than PR fluff, and even provoked a blunt response from Roy Keane, who has long been one of Rashford's fiercest supporters. “I wouldn’t be happy hearing about the sacrifices he has made, the money he has turned down,” the United legend said on after the City loss. “A lot of fans who go to games week in, week out, are all saying the same thing, so maybe Marcus has to reflect, to think, ‘Maybe there are some times when I’m not closing people down’. Sometimes, you do need to take a closer look at yourself."

Talk is cheap, and Rashford is not entitled to special treatment because of his long association with the club. There is only one way to prove his undying devotion to United, and that's by delivering the goods on the pitch week in, week out. Fans and pundits alike have every right to voice concerns while he continues to exhibit indifferent body language and fall well short of the minimum standard for quality and application at Old Trafford.

GettyContrast to Foden

At this stage, it seems unlikely that Rashford will ever fulfil his potential at United. It's been over eight years since he burst onto the senior stage for United as a teenager, and he's yet to show the consistency needed to become a truly world-class player, unlike City's 23-year-old derby hero Foden.

It's possible that both men will be competing for an attacking berth in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad this summer, but such a decision won't be keeping the England boss awake at night. Foden has to be in the starting line-up for his country on current form, and might even have a chance of winning the Ballon d'Or if he can keep it up until May – that's no exaggeration.

City are blessed with elite performers across the pitch, including Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri, but Foden has outshone them all this season, and United had no answer to his genius at the weekend. “He is the best player in the Premier League," Guardiola said when quizzed on his dazzling display. "He was always a talented player, but now he is more mature and understands more the game, especially defensively. He's unbelievable."

The gulf in class between Rashford and Foden is not just down to technique, or general footballing intelligence. Foden has two key attributes that can't be taught: unwavering self-belief and a deep competitive drive.

That was clear for all to see when he scored his second against United, as he bust a gut to pick up a return pass from Julian Alvarez in the box before finishing calmly past Andre Onana. Rashford doesn't score goals like that because he lacks those powers of resolve, and Ten Hag can't rely on him to make the same decisive impact for the Red Devils.

Getty ImagesPlaying the victim

Foden doesn't ever feel sorry for himself either, which is another mark of a great player. He's had his fair share of tough times at City, having only really been a regular start under Guardiola in the last two seasons, but his work-rate has never dropped.

The same cannot be said for Rashford, who feels he has been unfairly targeted by the media. In a clear reference to the reaction to his drinking binge in Belfast in January, which saw him dropped by Ten Hag for an FA Cup game against Newport County, the United forward said in his Tribune essay: "It can’t just be about me as a 26-year-old lad on a night out, or a lad getting a parking ticket. It’s got to be about how much my car costs, guessing my weekly salary, my jewellery or even my tattoos. It’s got to be about questioning my morals and speculating about my family and my football future. There’s a tone in it that you don’t get with all footballers."

Rashford also suggested the witch hunt "goes back to the [Covid-19] pandemic", when he campaigned for free school meals for children. "For some reason, that seemed to rub certain people the wrong way," he continued. "It seems like they’ve been waiting for me to have a human moment so they can point the finger and say ‘See? See who he really is?”

Playing the victim is an easy way to justify his almost non-existent contribution to United on the pitch over the past eight months. Rashford was one of five siblings raised by a single mother on a minimum wage job in Wythenshawe, Manchester, and carved out a bright future for himself through his talent, before giving back to the communities he grew up in once making it to the top.

All of that his admirable, but it doesn't give him a free pass not to do the job he is paid absurd amounts of money to do at United. If he was running himself into the ground and clearly working to fix the weaknesses in his game, no one would have anything to say; he can fish for sympathy all he wants, but aspersions will continue to be cast until he starts to acknowledge where he is going wrong.