Manchester United were driven to victory over Crystal Palace by Marcus Rashford... he has matured as a footballer and as a person this season

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Half an hour had passed at Old Trafford when Marcus Rashford was confronted with a deflected ball looping up awkwardly over his head. Rashford could have met it with his head, controlled it on his chest and knee, or brought it down with either foot.

He did none of the above. Instead, the teenager chose to play the ball nonchalantly with the top of his right shoulder, directing it straight to a teammate.

It might be symptomatic of the ‘Playstation football’ that can frustrate Jose Mourinho at times, but it also offered a momentary insight into the calm and confidence of a young man who could not be more at home on the Old Trafford stage.

Marcus Rashford showed his calm and confidence in a superb display against Crystal Palace

Rashford has matured as a footballer and person since making his sensational breakthrough

The Manchester United teenager provided two assists as they beat Palace 4-0 on Saturday

Rashford has matured as a footballer and person since making his sensational breakthrough under Louis van Gaal. It has not always been an easy process. 

There were times during Mourinho’s first season when he struggled in a wider role to accommodate Zlatan Ibrahimovic and lost some of his confidence in front of goal, at one stage going 20 games without one for club and country.

He seems to have grown into the role now alongside Romelu Lukaku and that was apparent from his two assists early in each half against Crystal Palace.

The first was pure quality, not that Joel Ward will want to be reminded of the fact. One moment the Palace right-back was tracking Rashford away from goal down the touchline, the next he was staring into empty space as the United No 19 turned away from him and raced away into the empty space behind.

After three minutes Rashford's pull back put the ball on a plate for Juan Mata to score

Just after half time Rashford's free kick was headed in by Marouane Fellaini to make it 3-0

Rashford’s pullback was destined for Lukaku but he couldn’t make contact and the ball ran through for Juan Mata to score on his 200th Premier League appearance.

Rashford’s second assist four minutes after the interval owed much to the technique of his set-piece delivery. He whipped in a freekick from the left to the edge of the six-yard box that had too much pace on it and was too low in its trajectory for Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey to intercept. It was, however, perfect for Maroune Fellaini to meet with a glancing header and score his second goal of the game.

The boy who seemed born to score goals is doing a fine job of creating them. According to the statistics, this was the first time he has provided two assists for United and it surely won’t be the last. This performance was typical of the high-energy, committed displays Rashford has been making from the flank this season.

That isn’t to say he cannot play down the middle. Mourinho claimed on the eve of this game that he won’t give Lukaku a proper rest until Ibrahimovic is fit again until January, but Rashford still has much to offer in a central role. He proved it when scoring twice against Burton Albion in the Carabao Cup earlier this month, taking his total to six for the season.

Jose Mourinho can now rely on Rashford central or wide as a potent attacking threat

The combination of pace and power make him a very difficult young man to stop. At one point here, Mamadou Sakho resorted to planting his foot rather painfully in Rashford’s nether regions as they tangled for possession. The United player was able to continue after treatment and departed the stage shortly afterwards to a standing ovation when he was replaced by Anthony Martial.

United’s other assists for Fellaini and Lukaku were provided by Ashley Young and Anthony Martial on a day when the old guard, if you like, showed that they still have plenty to offer.

Much has been made of the Mourinho revolution at Old Trafford and the difference made by Lukaku, Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Eric Bailly. There have been times when the likes of Fellaini and Mata appeared to have an uncertain future at the club.

However two more goals for the big Belgian, Mata’s opener and Young’s contribution is evidence of Mourinho getting more out of the players he inherited from Van Gaal. Rashford has benefitted too, as Palace found to their cost.