Maguire tips Marcus for top

HARRY MAGUIRE has praised England’s Marcus Rashford for the way he has roared back to form and says his talented Manchester United team-mate has the potential to become one of the world’s best.

The 25-year-old ended the World Cup group stage as the competition’s joint-top scorer, having netted three goals as Gareth Southgate’s side topped Group B.

Rashford’s brilliant brace against Wales came after scoring straight off the bench against Iran — his first England appearance since missing his penalty in last year’s European Championship final shoot-out loss to Italy.

That heartache was compounded by sickening racist abuse, shoulder surgery and poor form at United, but he has looked revitalised since Erik ten Hag arrived in the summer and is back in the England set-up.

Put to club captain Maguire that his team-mate could cap his eyecatching turnaround with the Golden Boot, the centre-back told talkSPORT: ‘Yeah, that would be the dream.

‘I’d pray for that because that means that we’re probably going to go far in the tournament and give ourselves the best opportunity to win the tournament.

‘I’m really pleased for Marcus. I think he has so much talent that I don’t think he’ll ever reach what his talent can get to because he’s so talented that he could be one of the best in the world and I think he’s got to push and strive for that.

‘But at the moment, over the last year or so it’s not just Marcus at Manchester United. We had a difficult year as a group and it affects people as individuals.

‘This year he is playing with a lot more freedom, he’s playing with a big smile on his face and, yeah, we speak about him getting back to his best and I’m sure he will do.

‘He’s a very talented boy and I’m really pleased that he’s back on track and I’m sure there’s much more to come from him.’