Marcus Rashford will face Manchester City on Sunday in the 199th Manchester derby at Old Trafford, ten years after scoring the winning goal on his first appearance in the fixture as an 18 year old, having rebuilt his Manchester United career over the summer following a spell away from the club.
Rashford's derby history began in early 2016 under manager Louis van Gaal, when he controlled a pass from Juan Mata, nutmegged Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis and swept the ball past goalkeeper Joe Hart to win the game at the Etihad Stadium. It came just days after a two-goal debut off the bench against Midtjylland in the Europa League, when he replaced George Best as United's youngest ever scorer in Europe.
"Putting Demichelis on his a**e got as big a cheer as the goal itself," said Dave Horrocks, one of Rashford's first coaches at Fletcher Moss Rangers, the junior club Rashford joined at the age of six after his mother Melanie signed him up.
Ryan Giggs, then a coach on Van Gaal's staff, said on The Debrief podcast with Rio Ferdinand this week that he and Van Gaal had watched Rashford score twice in a small-sided game after the first team had finished training. Van Gaal told Giggs to inform Rashford he had made the first team before walking off, Giggs recalled.
Rashford was originally only on the bench for the Midtjylland tie until Anthony Martial was injured in the warm-up. Horrocks said he received a series of text messages that night reading "Marcus is in the squad," then "He's starting," then "He's scored!" Fletcher Moss's membership doubled overnight, Horrocks said, and there were not enough coaches to cope with the new arrivals. Three days later Rashford made his Premier League debut against Arsenal at Old Trafford and scored twice more in another United win, before earning his first England call-up.
A derby record of highs and lows
Rashford has played in the Manchester derby more often than any other fixture, and it has tracked the swings of his career. Among his five goals in the fixture was a late winner at Old Trafford in January 2023.
That was followed later the same year by a 3-0 defeat to City that led to a birthday celebration at Chinawhite nightclub, angering then manager Erik ten Hag. In December 2024, manager Ruben Amorim left Rashford out of the squad for the derby at the Etihad because of concerns over his attitude. Rashford did not play for United again before going on loan to Aston Villa and then Barcelona.
Giggs also recounted a dinner with Pep Guardiola eight years ago at which the City manager said Rashford was the one United player he would have liked to sign. City were reported to have shown interest again before Rashford signed his current contract, though United made sure City and Liverpool were the only two clubs excluded from an option to buy him for £40million this summer.
A Manchester upbringing
Rashford's mother worked to support her three sons and one daughter while the family moved between homes in Hulme, Moss Side, Chorlton, Withington and Wythenshawe. When they settled in Fallowfield, near City's academy on Platt Lane, Rashford was often drawn there on nights he was not training with United. Horrocks said he would drive Melanie, Marcus and his older brother Dwaine to United's training ground at The Cliff, since the family had no car. City are understood to have spoken to Rashford's mother, but she had given United her word, and Rashford signed for the club at the age of nine.
"He's a United fan, so I don't think City ever stood a chance," Horrocks said. "You have to understand he's a Manchester lad, and the derby is the pot of gold for him. I hope he's on the up again."
From £3,000 a week to career highs and lows
Rashford was earning around £3,000 a week when he first signed professional terms at 17. He has been on £325,000 a week since agreeing a new contract in 2023 following a 31-goal season, his best. A mural of him in Withington was defaced with racist graffiti after he missed a penalty in England's Euro 2020 final shootout defeat to Italy, shortly before he received an MBE at Windsor Castle for his campaign against child poverty during the pandemic.
Rashford has spoken of seeking help from a sports psychologist during the darkest period of his career and has dealt with long-standing problems with his back and left shoulder. Other setbacks included a night out in Belfast that again put him at odds with Ten Hag, and the breakdown in his relationship with Amorim, who dropped him from the squad. Rashford wrote an article for The Players' Tribune titled "Who I Really Am" after feeling misunderstood.
Carrick's role in his return
Rashford is understood to have turned down interest from around a dozen other clubs in England, Italy and Turkey before returning to United, and might have joined Barcelona permanently after winning the La Liga title there last season had wages not been a factor. Michael Carrick, who was on the pitch for Rashford's derby goal in 2016 and has since been his first-team coach, caretaker manager and now head coach, is said to have a good relationship with the forward that has helped ease his return.
Sources say Rashford has been more cheerful than at any time they can remember since rejoining the squad at United's pre-season camp in Dublin, and that the player once known for poor timekeeping is now among the first to arrive for training. "He couldn't be making more of an effort on his side to make it work," one insider said.
Rashford was rested for Thursday's Champions League tie against Sabah but received a good reception from fans when he warmed up. He has played well enough to earn a place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the upcoming Nations League games, having returned to the national team in time for the World Cup, though a minor hip problem limited his involvement in North America. With two years left on his United contract, there are no guarantees over what comes next, but Rashford returns to face City again on Sunday.
