COMMENT: Marcus Rashford is here to stay. A one season wonder? No chance. Not on Saturday's evidence...
Okay, okay, it was 45 minutes in Sweden. And in preseason. But Rashford performed like last season had never ended.
Manchester United were flat in that first-half against Galatasaray. The best player on the pitch wasn't in their away white. It was the Dutchman, Wesley Sneijder. Well known to Jose Mourinho, of course, from their time at Inter Milan. He's two years older than Wayne Rooney. But it was the United captain who looked the old man. Sneijder was everywhere. A No10 in name only. He was box-to-box, breaking up the rare possession United managed to cobble together, creating openings for his Gala teammates and also bringing the best out of David de Gea. It was a masterclass. Fancy Gala management putting him through the wringer last month. What's wrong with 'em?
United looked dead on their feet. But then the halftime changes were made. Rashford came on. And the game was transformed.
It was his give-and-go with Antonio Valencia that created Rooney's equaliser. He then won the penalty for Rooney's second. And it was the teen's clever angled run for Rooney to find which eventually led to Valencia teeing up Marouane Fellaini's wonderfully looped header for United's fourth.
Rooney was twice on the scoresheet. Zlatan Ibrahimovic had his goal - and headline. But it was Rashford who most influenced the turnaround.
Those who were at Old Trafford in February for Rashford's Premier League debut will still remember his first significant action in the game, bursting between two Arsenal defenders, only to be cut down. It was pure power and pace. On Saturday we caught a glimpse of the evolution - and why the lad had even Ibrahimovic up off his feet applauding him.
The pace is still there. The power and strength is now greater. As is the belief. We saw in Gothenburg the step overs. The feints. What stunned Ibra for that dash around the outside of Gala's left-back wasn't so much the breakneck speed, but that Rashford managed to still do a step over at such pace. At the opposite end, Bruma can do that. So can Sneijder. But not at the rate of knots of Rashford.
Indeed, almost everytime he was on the ball, in an attacking area, the step overs would come out. It was something rarely seen last season. But we're now talking about Marcus Rashford of United and England. A veteran of a European Championship. The one player in that England squad to return home with reputation enhanced. France was a shambles. For some inside the camp a catastrophe. A career ender. But not for Rashford. And in his case, not for Manchester United.
England have returned Rashford in better shape than when they took him. Which other Premier League club can say the same? He was afforded only cameos by Roy Hodgson, but it was enough. The one positive to come out of the tournament was the lad from Fletcher Moss Rangers.
And in Gothenburg it showed. It was preseason. You're a pro now. You're supposed to just ease yourself into the game. Just shake off the cobwebs. But the memo mustn't have reached Rashford. He was at it from the start. This time last year, Rashford was running around the Carrington pitches with the U18s. And the attitude has never changed. He just wants to play. Enjoy himself. As he did on Saturday.
On Sunday, Mourinho will select a team to win the Community Shield. The United manager actually puts some stock into the season's curtain raiser. He will want to get the campaign off to a winning start and will choose an XI to beat Leicester City.
His attacking players have been amongst the goals. Rooney, Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have all struck in preseason. But none have shone as Rashford did against Galatasaray. The doubts about Mourinho and youth will be someway lessened by backing Rashford at Wembley on Sunday.
He must know he has inherited something special. And not in terms of potential. But for the here and now. Mourinho only needs to ask Ibra if there's any doubts.
INJURY TIME
£30 million is a decent outlay for a project player. But that's how Eric Bailly has been sold to Manchester United fans since his arrival from Villarreal.
He can't speak English. He's still very raw. He'll need time to adapt. Basically, be patient, was the message being relayed to United supporters about their new centre-half.
But against Galatasaray, Bailly looked like a someone ready for competitive, Premier League football.
Gala, with Wesley Sneijder pulling the strings, dominated the first-half - and deserved their halftime lead. This wasn't the stroll Wigan Athletic offered. It was a genuine test for Bailly.
And he impressed. He showed himself a genuine defender. Good in the air. A strong tackler. A great athlete.
Of course, the challenge will come next week at Bournemouth and Jose Mourinho will be desperate to avoid a Nemanja Vidic-type introduction for his first signing as United manager. But on Saturday's showing, Bailly could be a positive surprise.
