 MARCUS RASHFORD & ANTHONY ELANGA - WHAT IT TAKES TO REACH FULL POTENTIAL?

by Julian Tabone

In a season in which almost everything has gone horribly wrong, there are only a few positives we can take.

Ronaldo’s return in August and his first few games were a real high. At the time, the thought of partnering Rashford, Sancho, Greenwood, Martial and Cavani to Cristiano was mouthwatering. That feeling, sadly, did not last very long.

To make it even worse and at times surreal, Mason Greenwood started the season in top form but his kamikaze actions in his private life ruined everything, possibly, his whole career along the way (which frankly, matters little if the allegations brought against him are proved in court). Cavani was sluggish and as expected, was injured too frequently. Martial looked disinterested.

Those circumstances paved the way for Anthony Elanga, our 19 year old striker who had already showed glimpses of his talent in last season’s last match of the season (away vs Wolves) when he scored his first ever Premier League goal.

Elanga, indeed, is perhaps one of the very few positives emerging from a season which has demoralised fans and players alike.

will be even more crucial for him. So many young players have suffered from the so-called second-season syndrome when opposition defenders would have been studying them and are no longer caught surprised. Elanga will not be spared. Next season is when he needs to be consistent and grab his chances.

So what does it take for Elanga and Rashford to reach their full potential?

Self‑confidence, as in all walks of life and in every place of work, is key.

Rashford and Elanga may find themselves on different (and in some ways, similar) trajectories.

Both players have got a huge talent, but they need the right environment in which they can thrive.

Regrettably, Manchester United at the minute, is not a healthy place. There is no stability and little long-term planning. We still need to appoint a full-time manager. Players, for a variety of reasons, will inevitably leave the club in the summer and new ones – possibly across 2 or 3 transfer windows - will come in and they will need their time to bed-in. The whole place needs a revamp and there are simply too many decisions that need to be taken for anyone to realistically expect any immediate dramatic improvements.

So, apart from self‑confidence and a little bit of stability, both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Elanga will also need a good dose of patience too, if they are to fulfil their potential at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford, on the other hand, has been a representation of the season so far. A real nightmare.

Rashford started the season injured. He came back and briefly contributed with a couple of good goals but his form dropped dramatically and so did his attitude. It seems like he is yet to recover from missing that penalty in that Euro 2020 Final or that he has lost his focus following the various off‑field initiatives which did enhance his profile nationwide. More than his actual form however, what saddens us the most is his body language and the lethargy he has been showing. Unfortunately, this is also becoming infectious.

Rashford and Elanga are both products of the Manchester United youth academy. They are both quick and possess an eye for goal. member of our squad having played a little less than 300 games and scored 93 goals at just 24 years of age. I don’t buy it that he may have already reached his peak potential. In my opinion, he must be helped to regain his confidence.

Elanga, on the other hand, is still way off from fulfilling his huge potential. So far he has only appeared 20 times and found the net on 4 occasions. This season can be considered as his breakthrough season and he may still feature consistently in the remaining games of this season. He needs to make the most of the opportunities that will come his way especially whilst some of his team-mates are going through a rough patch. But to cement his place, he needs to build on that. Next season