It’s truly remarkable just how far Manchester United has come under Erik Ten Hag in such a short period of time

This time last year the wheels began to fall off at Old Trafford but now they are showing no signs of slowing down.

One man who epitomises United’s resurgence is Marcus Rashford. He scored in their last two matches (one against Barcelona in a 2-2 draw and two against Leicester in a 3-0 win) and is one of the most in-form forwards in the world currently.

Again, it's unthinkable when you consider how dejected he looked last season. Going from a player with no confidence to one who looks unshakeable right now. He now has 24 goals in all competitions, his best-scoring season ever for Manchester United and we’re still only in February.

He’s the main man for Manchester United and proved that on Sunday with a brace against Leicester. For his first goal, he looked up to see Alejandro Garnacho waiting for a tap in but at this moment in time, he was never going to pass.

It was a crucial goal because United was far from their best in the opening 45 minutes. Ten Hag said his side was ‘rubbish’ in the first half and if it wasn’t for David De Gea the team would have likely been two goals down. The Spaniard then went on to record his 180th clean sheet for Manchester United, levelling him with Peter Schmeichel.

Those saves and Rashford’s goal gave United a platform and they improved significantly in the second half. Jadon Sancho came on just behind the striker and did very well, even grabbing a goal to cap off a solid display. This was the first time that things really started to click for him in his new role.

In the end, it was a huge result for Ten Hag’s side, putting them seven points ahead of Tottenham and outsiders in the title race. Hopefully, they can piggyback off this momentum as they gear up for two big games in their season.

The first is a second leg at home to Barcelona. It may only be a Europa League playoff, but it has the feel of a Champions League tie, a taster of what United’s future could be under Ten Hag.

United will know they can win this match too, especially after the first leg where had they taken their chances, they could have scored four goals. But it will be far from easy against a side who are top of their league and with a rich history in European competitions.

Then of course is League Cup Final only a few days later against Newcastle United, who will be without first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope following his red card last week.

But Eddie Howe has made Newcastle a team tough to beat, which United discovered earlier in the campaign. The big difference in that 0-0 draw was that United didn’t take their chances, however right now if Rashford is firing he won’t be squandering any opportunities.

Ten Hag will know how important a win on Sunday could be for the club. Not just for the fans but also for building a winning culture in the dressing room. Something that has been severely missing from Manchester United for too long now.

Thankfully Casemiro will also be available following his suspension, whose experience will be vital for United. Another massive boost ahead of Sunday.

However, we will have to wait and see. Hopefully, it will be another huge week for the football club as it continues the process of becoming a serious force once more.

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