Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 06:32• Jonathan van Haaster • Last update: 06:52

Marcus Rashford has been scoring goals for Manchester United this season and he celebrates his goals by pointing to his head. Rio Ferdinand has in his podcast VIBE with FIVE clarified the story behind the attacker’s characteristic cheering. According to the former defender, who was present at the Carrington training complex last Monday and spoke to Rashford there, the attacker wants to indicate with his way of cheering that mentality is of great importance.

Ferdinand descended on Monday at the Carrington training complex for an interview with Bruno Fernandes and, after talking to Rashford, found out the reason behind the attacker’s characteristic cheering. “Cheering is about mentality”, Ferdinand explains. “Beautiful, isn’t it? Simple, but you see it everywhere. Players all over the world use that way of cheering. Every young player who scores goals, that’s the impact Rashford has.”

Rashford conceded in October last year Sky Sports seems to be much better this season. “There is a completely different energy around the club and the training complex,” he said. “That makes me feel better mentally and I just feel very motivated now. That was the aspect I was struggling with. I was struggling with mental things. It wasn’t really about my own performance, but other things off the field. That’s the biggest difference from last season.”

“I had a hard time mentally at times. Last season I was too often mentally not quite there,” Rashford said. The attacker is working on an unprecedented productive season. The 25-year-old star has so far scored 14 goals in the Premier League, trailing only Harry Kane (17) and Erling Braut Haaland (26) in the top scorers’ standings. Rashford’s success cannot be seen separately from the appointment of manager Erik ten Hag, who has held sway at Old Trafford since the beginning of this season. “His determination is his greatest quality,” Rashford said Manchester Evening News. “If we lead 2-0 or 3-0 and win, he is still not satisfied if we conced a goal. We want to get the best out of ourselves and that was less the case in the past.”