Rashford must Marc his return with goals to save Man Utd's season

Marcus Rashford has had a mixed few weeks for Manchester United.

After scoring in consecutive Premier League games for the first time in almost a year, the England international was excluded from the squad that beat Newport County in the FA Cup fourth round.

As the Red Devils prepare to face Wolves on Thursday night, we take a look at the highs and lows of Rashford's campaign so far.

Missing the Marc

Rashford has not hit the heights of his previous campaign, finding the net only four times in the Premier League this season.

Although he has 10 goal contributions in all competitions, he remains way off his tally of 41 goals and assists in 56 appearances for United in 2022-23.

This included a run of scoring 10 times in as many top-flight games between December and February and finishing sixth in the Golden Boot race with 17 strikes.

We saw glimpses of Rashford at his scintillating best in the recent 2-2 draw with Tottenham but there has not been enough consistency in his performances.

If he is to stake a claim for a starting berth at Euro 2024, the 59-cap international will need to pick things up between now and May.

An internal matter

Erik ten Hag said his No10 reported ill ahead of United's cup tie in South Wales but the Dutch coach seemed less than impressed with the 26-year-old.

He labelled the situation as an "internal matter" and something he will deal with in due course.

But Premier League legend Alan Shearer believes there could be more to the story and warns Rashford not to waste his time at the top.

Ex-England marksman Shearer, 53, said: "If it is an internal matter you would think something is up. There is a huge talent in there with Rashford. 

"We saw him be disciplined last season when he was late for a meeting and he actually missed a game but something is clearly wrong, either at home or with his relationship with the football club, because he can't keep doing this.

"He can't waste his talent, it's not right and he needs strong management and someone to get hold of him and say, 'you know what, if you get to the end of your career and have huge regrets, you can't have that'."

Peak years

Rashford is no longer a kid and is arguably entering the peak years of his career at the elite level.

Having burst on to the scene at 18, the homegrown hero had a weight of expectation on his shoulders, which was always going to be difficult to match.

His brace against Arsenal on his Premier League debut remains firmly etched in fans' memories and it would be harsh to label him as a wasted talent having scored 127 goals and collected three major trophies.

But there is no denying United's 2022-2023 Player of the Year struggles for consistency.

His erratic levels of output and tendency to drift in and out of games can be a frustration for coaches and supporters alike.

If the Red Devils are to qualify for the Champions League and contend for FA Cup glory, they need their academy graduate to rekindle his best form.