Marcus Rashford at TURNING POINT in Man Utd career

Marcus Rashford is at a turning point in his Manchester United career.

The Red Devils striker scored the opening goal of the Ruben Amorim era just 81 seconds into their match with Ipswich last weekend.

However Man Utd couldn't hold on for the win and part of the reason for that is that Rashford couldn't hold onto the ball as a striker.

READ MORE: Three key reasons why Man City are COLLAPSING

He did score, though, the fifth time he's done so this season in 19 games. He's on pace to beat last season's miserable total of 8 goals in 43 games, but he looks miles away from two years ago when he scored 30 times in 56 appearances for Man Utd.

That year, 2022/23, was the first time a Man Utd player had scored 30 times in a single season since Robin van Persie did it in Sir Alex Ferguson's final campaign. It had been a while, and Rashford looked ready to take the next step.

Then he just... didn't. Whatever his reasons, he just never jived with Erik ten Hag after that initial run. Something was off. He was always looking moody and erratic, always being subbed off, failing to look like goal threat, just endless drama with him.

Ruben Amorim places Rashford at a turning point

Well, now Ruben Amorim is at Old Trafford and ready to save the day. The club has new owners, the football team has an entirely new structure and organisation. And they hired Ruben Amorim after an exhaustive search as the Head Coach, not the Manager.

It truly is a new beginning for both Man Utd as a club and Rashford as a player. Here he has the chance to show what he can do.

A goal after 81 seconds was a good start, but he never built on it, and Amorim has already taken some responsibility for that in public which should help Rashford.

READ MORE: Man Utd Transfer News Today: Rashford SHOCK, Osimhen in JANUARY, €60m signing DEVELOPMENTS

“We will try to help him," said Amorim, as reported by Fabrizio Romano on X, "that position [striker] is not the best one for him. He was fighting with two giants…"

So instantly Amorim has taken the pressure off Rashford for his poor performance. But he's also put the impetus on the England international to put in the effort and come with the correct mentality to succeed.

"We have to find the best solution for him," said Amorim. "He has to be Marcus to return to that moment. He has to be the first one to want it."

He has to be the first one to want it.

That's the challenge laid down to Marcus Rashford by Ruben Amorim. He's not a kid anymore. He's 27 years-old. He's a grown man in what should be the prime of his career. He has to come correct and apply himself to be the player Amorim believes he can be.

That probably won't happen at striker, but if not striker then there has to be somewhere. Rashford has to figure it out, because if he doesn't it would not be a surprise at all for him to be sold this summer, both to free space on the wage bill and also generate substantial cap space so that Man Utd can spend money without breaching FFP rules.

This is it, Marcus. It's now or it may be never. At least at Man Utd.