RASH AND GRAB RAID

Marcus smooths way for Erik

- DAVID MCDONNELL

REAL BETIS 0

MAN UNITED 1

EVEN when Marcus Rashford is playing poorly, he manages to steal the show.

The striker was not having the best of games, missing two straightforward chances in quick succession on a night when nothing seemed to be going for him.

But when he picked the ball up 25 yards out in the 55th minute, Rashford unleashed his frustration with a dipping strike that left Real Betis keeper Rui Silva no chance.

It was his 27th goal of a remarkable campaign and one which underlined his enduring threat, as well as cementing Manchester United’s place in today’s Europa League quarter-final draw.

Since returning from the World Cup, Rashford has scored 19 goals in 24 games, a far cry from last season’s woes when he managed just five in the entire campaign.

United boss Erik ten Hag hailed his perseverance and said: “He had some chances before and he missed some, but he kept his belief, he kept trying and got his reward.