Rashford names the only three No 9s in world football

Matt Stead

Marcus Rashford says that playing as a winger has aided his development, noting that only three strikers in world football are natural No 9s.

Rashford has made 45 appearances for United this season, with only Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic playing more frequently.

The 19-year-old has rarely been given the opportunity to play in his favoured role as a central striker however, with Ibrahimovic shouldering that burden.

Rashford speaks highly of the influence the Swede has had on his game, and also says that playing on the wing to accommodate him has helped develop his game.

“His influence on the younger players, especially, is fantastic,” Rashford told the Daily Telegraph. “What I have learnt from him is irreplaceable.

“We want that to continue because he is making us into better players.”

He added, of playing as a winger: “Now, when I go to the left or right, I see it differently to how I pictured it last season. They are things I didn’t have naturally inside me. I didn’t feel uncomfortable in the wide role, but when something is different it takes a while to get used to it.

“For me the development has been going great all the way through. Next season I think I will have come across most situations that are going to occur.

“You look at all the strikers in the world now, I can only think of two, three who are No 9s – Kane, Lewandowski, Suárez.

“Agüero? You could play him deeper as a No 10. The qualities a striker needs now are different to what they used to be.

“When you look in the first team here and there are players who have won 15, 20 trophies, you want to try and live up to that and even exceed what they have done.”