Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has underperformed since the new campaign got underway and transfer insider Dean Jones has highlighted the glaring contrast between him and another Red Devils star, while speaking to GIVEMESPORT.

The Carrington graduate has come under mass scrutiny for his lack of output in recent weeks, though Erik ten Hag has continued to put his full faith in the £300k-a-week earner.

Manchester United news – Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford

It’s been a turbulent start to 2023/24 for Ten Hag and his crop of players, having underwhelmed both domestically and on the European stage. Upon their return to Europe’s top table, the Champions League, the Greater Manchester side have lost both of their opening fixtures to Bayern Munich and Galatasaray, meaning they now reside rock bottom of Group A.

Domestically, it’s been equally tumultuous as they have endured their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign, accruing just four wins from their eight opening games.

Unlikely saviour Scott McTominay ensured they secured all three points in their latest league meeting against Brentford by bagging a brace in injury time after being introduced to the game as a substitute in the 87th minute.

Read More: Man Utd 2-1 Brentford: Scott McTominay’s Winner Sparks Wild Celebrations In Stands

Having graduated to senior action aged 18, a lot has been expected of Rashford at Old Trafford, while he has often carried the burden of being the bright spark since emerging as the club’s leading man. In his 369-game career in Manchester United colours, he has registered 124 goals and 71 assists, though has found himself in an unfamiliar poor patch of form in the embyonic stage of the new campaign.

Last season alone, the Wythenshawe-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 ace enjoyed a career-best goal tally of 30 and also added another 11 assists to his CV, while his manager backed him to hit the 40-goal mark in 2023/24 (via MailOnline).

“There’s a lot of room for improvement in his game. I am convinced he can score even more. We are happy with that [30 goals], but we must push him more. I think he’s capable of scoring 40 goals in a season. So for him that’s the next step.”

Ten Hag’s beaming comments aside, the 25-year-old has struggled to find his feet in 2023/24 with just one goal and assist apiece in eight appearances across all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

In contrast, summer signing Rasmus Hojlund, who pockets a mere – in the grand scheme of Manchester United’s wage structure – £85,000-per-week, has become a quick fan favourite among the Old Trafford fanbase.

The 20-year-old Dane, who Manchester United shelled out £72m for, is yet to open his account in the Premier League but has instead scored three goals in Europe, topping the competition’s charts with Julian Alvarez.

There is a huge difference in confidence between £385k-a-week duo – Dean Jones

Jones suggested that the chasm between the performance levels of Red Devils duo Rashford and Hojlund is alarming but can be attributed to their contrast in confidence levels as the reliable reporter insisted that, unlike Rashford, the young centre-forward has little pressure on his shoulders. He suggested the England international needs to work through his struggles and return to his best in a Manchester United shirt, however, as Ten Hag is reliant on his brilliance in the final third. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said:

“It was actually [Rasmus] Hojlund who ended up scoring from a similar situation [against Galatasaray] and I think it just goes to show the contrast in confidence and belief that those players probably have right now. Hojlund has got that rawness about him, he’s not scarred from past failures and past doubts, whereas, at the moment, I think [Marcus] Rashford has got a lot of pressure on him. He knows that people are judging him, and he’s trying to do the right thing, he’s trying to release the ball there because he knows that people think he’s holding on to the ball too long but in that situation he should have just gone for goal because he would have scored. So it’s a really tough one for Rashford, but he’s got to come through this because Manchester United are relying on him.”

Man Utd to face stern competition for 25 y/o star worth £43.3m

With his side flailing on all fronts this term, the former Ajax tactician will surely enter the winter transfer window with all intents and purposes to bolster his squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.

One department that has been pinpointed as an area in dire need of reinforcements are their wide forward areas and Juventus’ Federico Chiesa has been identified as a resolution to their problems.

Manchester Evening News has recently reported that Manchester United are embroiled in a transfer battle for the 25-year-old and understand that €50m (£43.3m) is what they will need to part ways with in order to ensnare his services.

The Turin wide man has hit the ground running this campaign, scoring four goals and providing the solitary assist in seven Serie A outings thus far.

Italian publication Calciomercato have suggested that Chiesa’s future at the Old Lady remains in the balance due to worries over fresh terms and Ten Hag’s outfit are just one of the potential buyers, with Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Bayern Munich all interested parties.