"Looks like a different player when he plays for England" - Alan Shearer claims Manchester United star is not 'happy' amid poor run of form
Premier League legend Alan Shearer believes Marcus Rashford is unhappy at Manchester United amid a poor run of form.
The English forward isn't scoring or assisting goals at a pace expected of him. He has registered just one goal and three assists in 16 games across competitions, with his latest blank coming in a 1-0 win against Luton Town on 11 November.
In contrast, Rashford finished last season with 30 goals and 11 assists in 56 games across competitions. Shearer believes the 26-year-old isn't 'happy' at the club right now and is a different player when representing England.
The former Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers striker said (h/t @UtdPlug on X):
"I don't see a happy footballer, a happy person at the moment. He [Marcus Rashford] looks like a different player when he plays for England."
Since the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Rashford has netted five goals and one assist in 11 international games. The Manchester United star has made Gareth Southgate's latest England squad for their two UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers in November.
Gareth Southgate gives verdict on Manchester United star's struggles
Gareth Southgate has told Marcus Rashford that he has to deal with the pressure of being a star player at Manchester United.
The Englishman, who signed a five-year-long, £300,000-a-week contract in July, hasn't scored in the Premier League since 3 September. With the recent exclusions of Raheem Sterling, Southgate has shown he isn't afraid to axe big-name England stars who are struggling for form.
Rashford, however, continues to make the cut. Speaking at a recent press conference, the English tactician addressed the forward's form and said, via the Telegraph:
"Well, if you’re going to be a big player, you’ve got to live with that, really. In the end – and respectfully – with the big bucks comes the big pressure. He is the guy that got all the goals last year."
England will face Malta at Wembley on 18 November before traveling to Skopje to take on North Macedonia three days later. The Three Lions lead the Group C standings with 16 points from six matches — three ahead of second-placed Ukraine, who have a game in hand.