Marcus Rashford reveals unlikely Manchester United inspiration as a child was goalkeeper Tim Howard

The 20-year-old is the latest in a long line of Fletcher Moss Rangers products to cut their teeth at United, but he actually started out his career as a goalkeeper

Jack de Menezes
Monday 20 November 2017 10:54 GMT
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Marcus Rashford has revealed that his rather unlikely childhood inspiration that caused him to pursue a career in football with Manchester United is goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Despite emerging as one of England’s brightest young strikers since breaking into the United first-team squad in early 2016, Rashford actually started off his career as a goalkeeper, having progressed as the latest star off the Fletcher Moss Rangers development line – a club that has also been responsible for producing Danny Welbeck, Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison.

Howard joined United in 2003 – when Rashford was six – and made 77 appearances in four years before moving on to Everton in 2007. However, it was during that time that Rashford joined the United academy, and seeing the American shot-stopper in action left a lasting impression on him that he still harbours today.

“My first season, I went in net,” Rashford told The Times. “The thrill of scoring a goal, you get that same thrill when you save a good chance.

“Tim Howard was my idol. I used to have a little Tim Howard shirt.”

Howard never really settled at Old Trafford, and it was during his nine years at Everton that he really found his feet in the Premier League, before leaving the Merseyside club in 2016 to return to the United States and join MLS side Colorado Rapids.

With David De Gea and Sergio Romero at Jose Mourinho’s disposal, United are well covered in goal, but should they ever find themselves short between the sticks, Mourinho knows exactly who he can call on.

“You watch, there'll be a game... I'm going to get the gloves one day!” Rashford added.

Meanwhile, Mourinho has revealed that the reason he rarely starts both Anthony Martial and Rashford in the same team is because they are too similar.

Howard played for United between 2003 and 2007

The two young forwards flanked Romelu Lukaku from the start for the first time on Saturday and United ran out 4-1 winners over Newcastle United at Old Trafford, with Martial scoring for the hosts and Rashford assisting for Paul Pogba’s goal.

That win kept United in second place, still eight points behind Manchester City at the top, with both the youngsters impressing throughout.

And Mourinho revealed that the reason for not starting either forward on the right flank is that neither enjoys being deployed on their unflavoured side, which leaves the attack unbalanced..

Howard inspired Rashford when he played his first season of football in goal

“They both like to play in the same position and that is difficult,” Mourinho said. “They both prefer to play on the left than the right, both playing with another striker through the middle, we lose a point of contact with the midfield that we are used to, with the player playing behind the striker.

“But we found then a certain balance and when they start finding, sometimes both, one opening the left and one on the mid-left between the striker and the left winger, it was the moment where we start creating more.

“But to be honest Newcastle was probably the team, not in the second-half, but in the first-half which come here and we felt a bit of instability in our defensive areas, and that was clearly not because of the defensive players but because of our balance.

“So to play them [Martial and Rashford] together gives us things but also takes some things from us.”

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