'Inconsistent Environment' - Marcus Rashford Goes Hard on Manchester United Again

Marcus Rashford has suggested that the turbulent environment at Manchester United was a key factor behind his inconsistent form, following a strong start to his loan spell at Barcelona.

The 27-year-old forward, who joined the Catalan club on a season-long loan with an option for a permanent move, has rediscovered his spark in Spain. In his first 10 appearances, Rashford has already scored three goals and provided five assists, earning him a continued spot in Thomas Tuchel's England squad ahead of the World Cup.

Speaking to ITV before England's qualifier against Latvia, Rashford was asked about Tuchel's view that consistency is the final piece needed to elevate him to a world-class level. The forward agreed, but pointed to his time at Old Trafford as a significant hurdle.

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"For sure, consistency is a massive part of it," Rashford stated on ITV as quoted by the Dailymail. "I feel like I have been in an inconsistent environment for a very long time, so it is even more difficult to be consistent."

"I want to be at my best, not sometimes, but as often as possible," he continued. "When people talk about consistency, in order to be consistent in anything... you need consistent variables in your life and the way you train. We have just had so many changes so far in my career, but I have to look forward."

Rashford's career at United, which began under Louis van Gaal in 2016, saw him play under four permanent managers and three interim bosses. His most productive periods came under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, where he notched 22 goals in 2019-20 and 21 the following season, and Erik ten Hag, under whom he scored a career-best 30 goals in 2022-23.

However, these peaks were often followed by sharp declines. After signing a lucrative £300,000-per-week contract, his output dropped to just eight goals in the 2023-24 season. This dip coincided with off-field issues, including being dropped by Ten Hag for missing training after a trip to Belfast and previously oversleeping for a team meeting.

Ten Hag's successor, Ruben Amorim, also took a firm stance, freezing the forward out and stating that Rashford needed to "change" while the squad needed to "set standards." This ultimately led to a loan move to Aston Villa for the latter half of the 2024-25 season before his current switch to Barcelona.

Despite a recent incident where he was dropped by Barcelona manager Hansi Flick for being late to a team meeting, the club's hierarchy appears satisfied with his contributions. Sporting director Deco supported Rashford's assessment of his time at United.

"He exploded very early, then he had great seasons at United, then he had years of more complicated management with changes of coaches, and perhaps he struggled too because they demanded a lot of things from him there," Deco said. "But we're happy with him—that's the most important thing."

Deco confirmed that while a decision on a permanent transfer is not imminent, the club is pleased with the forward's impact. "What we thought he could bring to us, he's bringing," he added. "A decision will be made, but that's not being discussed right now."