Rashford: I couldn't be happier for Lingard

Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford, two players who have been at Manchester United since they were kids, albeit in different year groups, are pretty much inseparable.

It may have taken Lingard longer to establish himself in the team, despite being older, but Rashford is made up for his friend for having the strong campaign he’s enjoyed in 2017-18.

He’s always been a top player and the movements that he makes off the ball are terrific. But I think now he’s getting the final thing – whether it’s a goal or an assist – and it’s something that we’ve spoken about in the past. Now it’s coming together for him, so I couldn’t be happier for him because when you work so hard on something and then you don’t score the finish at the end or you don’t make the right pass at the end it’s hard to take. Now he’s getting it right all the time.

He’s always on the up, you know. He’s the person that you want to be around whether you’ve won a game or lost a game because he’s going to bring you back up and he’ll make you forget about that game and concentrate on the next one. In the team, you have to have that sort of mindset, otherwise you dwell on results for too long.

Rashford says that he still enjoys a kick about with his mates but it’s rare he would get to do it in public at the park anymore.

Yeah, but not so much in the park! There’s not enough time, but whether it’s at my house or their houses, we’ve always got a football. It’s a bit more difficult now because obviously everyone’s got jobs and everyone’s a bit busier and got things to do, but when we have time we do. They still try and put the ball through my legs and stuff like that!