Few could see Marcus Rashford turning his form around at the tail-end of last season as he sat on the bench for the entirety of Manchester United's home win over Brentford.
Despite not getting any action during the contest, the England international did not evade the firing line of United legend and Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane, who laid into him after the clash. At the time, Rashford's league tally for that season was four goals - the most recent of which came five months prior.
"He seems short on confidence, I go back, I think he's taken his eye off the ball, with all his off the field stuff," the Irishman explained.
"He's got that experience, but he doesn't mix his game. Even when he's playing through the middle, I said he plays like a child. It's like he's not learnt from the game. I think he's lost the eye of the tiger and he's struggling to get it back.
"I think the hunger, he's got to get the hunger back and make runs like [Anthony] Elanga, Rashford has lost that hunger which is huge for a player."
Reports of an Old Trafford exit soon followed and it seemed as if the boyhood United fan was gearing up to bid farewell, until slowly but surely, with the help of new boss Erik ten Hag, his Red Devils career started to show signs of life.
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The season is only 15 games old in United's case, less than halfway into the campaign and yet Rashford has already bettered his goal record from last season in 10 less games.
A brace against Arsenal followed by a winner against Liverpool earlier on in the season proved that the England international remains a man for the biggest occasions of all, while his latest effort against Nottingham Forest has sparked confidence Rashford can carry his impressive England form into his club duties.
After that 3-0 win over Forest, Rashford actually opened up on what feels different about this season compared to the last.
“I don’t know if it is as good as I’ve ever been playing, but I’m definitely enjoying it. We’re winning a lot more football games, and our level has been a lot higher. Happy with how we’re developing and hope we can keep kicking on," the England ace told Amazon Prime.
"It’s a completely different mindset to last season, a different team playing different football.
"For me, when you’re not in the team and coming on there is a different mindset, and you have to think about making an impact and you’re not sure when you get another chance or another goal. But I’m enjoying what I’m doing at the minute."
Rashford's fine form has clearly not gone unnoticed by his manager either, with Ten Hag heaping praise on the 25-year-old all season.
The Dutchman's most recent comments certainly read like Rashford is viewed as one of the star players in the eyes of the boss.
"There is no player who can smile so nice as Marcus Rashford, and I want to see him do that. That gives him and the players around him energy," Ten Hag explained.
Rashford was recently rewarded for his performances with a contract extension that sees him tied to Old Trafford until the summer of 2024, though it has been widely erported negotations over a more long-term deal will start soon such is Ten Hag's desperation to keep the forward at the club.
