Marcus Rashford’s recent form for Manchester United has been underwhelming, to say the least. Over the 2024–25 season, he made appearances for United and then joined Aston Villa on loan, where his performances were mixed. For a player of his calibre, that’s disappointing.
Rashford’s career at United began with brilliance. He burst onto the scene as a teenager, notably scoring a brace on his Premier League debut against Arsenal and earning Man of the Match honours. Since then, however, his trajectory has been disrupted by managerial turnover, shifting tactical demands, and what appears to be a lack of coherent direction.
Still, Rashford isn’t without significant achievements. He has amassed 138 goals in 426 appearances for Manchester United and picked up five major trophies, including two FA Cups, two League Cups, and a Europa League title.
Off the field, Rashford’s impact has been nothing short of extraordinary. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he spearheaded a campaign to extend free school meals to children across the UK, raising awareness and driving support for millions of vulnerable families.
This summer, he secured a season-long loan move to Barcelona, with an option to make it permanent. He will wear the historic No 14 shirt and has described Barcelona as “a family club where dreams come true,” praising coach Hansi Flick’s environment. Despite ongoing financial challenges at the club, Barcelona successfully registered him for the new La Liga season.
The Unfair Scrutiny: Race, Media, and Double Standards
All that said, what continues to disturb me isn’t only matters on the pitch, but the tainted lens through which Rashford and other Black professionals are viewed.
Recently, Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo was subjected to vile racial abuse by a fan at Anfield, yet media and radio commentary often skirts such events or frames players in reductive stereotypes. And when pundits like Dean Saunders criticise Rashford’s “extravagant” lifestyle, pointing to his Rolls-Royce purchase, for example, it echoes a disturbing double standard.
This is not me being defensive, it’s being fed up.
In 2018, Raheem Sterling spoke out on this very issue. He highlighted how similar acts by Black versus White players get wildly different media treatments. For instance, when both he and Phil Foden bought homes for their mothers, Foden’s act was lauded as “generous,” while Sterling’s was questioned, with tabloids interrogating how he could even afford it after not starting for City. Why the obsession with Raheem and not Phil?
Dean Saunders’ narrow focus on Rashford’s spending completely misses the point. Rashford has earned his wealth fairly. If he chooses to spend it, who’s to judge? A subtle implication that a Black man’s success is “too much,” or “inappropriate,” reinforces an old racist narrative. Meanwhile, white players often escape scrutiny for similar or more extravagant behaviour.
Rashford has given back to his community, served as a role model, and used his platform to fight inequality. To criticise his cars or lifestyle undercuts that contribution and hints at an unspoken racial bias.
This ends now: players should be evaluated on their character and performance not on whether they fit someone’s outdated stereotype of how they “should” behave.
Let’s call it what it is: racial profiling. It’s infuriating and absolutely must be called out.
