Time for Rashford to step up to plate

MARCUS Rashford has been told to make the most of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s enforced absence.

United’s big Swede has two games of his three-match ban for elbowing Bournemouth’s Tyrone Mings in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford to serve.

Rashford stepped in for the FA Cup game at Chelsea and is set to do so again for the Reds’ trip to Middlesbrough tomorrow.

And ex-United skipper Gary Neville believes Rashford’s limited game-time this season could benefit him.

The eight-time Premier League winner said: “He is not getting overplayed, he is able to learn at a more calm pace.

“The bad is that at times maybe his form hasn’t been as good as it was last season. He needs to reproduce that standard he set last season.

“There’s potentially always going to be a fall in a young player.

“There is going to be ups and downs and inconsistency.

”Maybe now, he has a chance to show what he is. He can have confidence knowing he will play.

“It’s good that they’re not relying upon him in every single game, but in some ways he needs to stand up and take the opportunity.”

Rashford could be given the chance to start in United’s next two Premier League games against Middlesbrough and West Brom as Ibrahimovic serves the rest of his suspension.

The 19-year-old has also been called into the England senior side for their games against Germany and Lithuania.