Marcus Rashford is being let down by the coaching staff at Manchester United, says Alan Shearer, with the misfiring frontman not being shown how to become a central striker.
The 21-year-old has stated in the past that he considers himself to be at his best when used down the middle.
His performances for United this season are failing to convince, though, with just one goal recorded from open play and three in total.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs somebody to provide inspiration in the final third, with the decision taken to part with Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez over the summer.
Academy graduate Rashford is supposed to be that man but, despite working with a legendary goalscorer as his manager, the required level of progress is not being made.
England legend Shearer, who remains the top marksman in Premier League history, believes a promising performer is not getting the right guidance.
He told Match of the Day 2 after seeing Rashford put in another forgettable display in a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle: “I have sympathy with him because this United team is the worst team that I can remember for a number of years and it would be very frustrating as a forward because of the lack of quality and the lack of balls that are coming into the box.
“But I just wonder, I analysed him a couple of weeks ago at West Ham and exactly the same things are happening as they were then - there is no movement. I wonder if anyone is actually saying anything to him because nothing has changed.
“He’s not moving into the box and he’s making it far easier for the defenders than it should be but he is young, he is still learning and it has to be a very frustrating time for him because that team at the moment is awful.”
Another former Three Lions star, Martin Keown, agrees that Rashford is making life too easy for defenders.
The ex-Arsenal centre-half said: “They started playing balls long into Rashford and I feel sorry for him because he survived on scraps but he should do better. If you look at his body language, I think he’s starting to despair for what is around him.
“Rashford should be getting into the box, he’s got to get into that area. A number nine for Manchester United scores goals in there. He should protect the ball better.
“I don’t really want to have a go, particularly at him, but I do feel he is a magnificent player but he’s not affecting the defender. He’s not getting the service, it’s a combination of the two. He wasn’t effective.”
Rashford has netted 13 times in each of the last two seasons, but that is not considered to be a good enough return to make him the leading candidate to become the main man at Old Trafford.
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