Marcus Rashford warned not to 'become Danny Welbeck' | OneFootball

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher says Marcus Rashford must play up front for Manchester United if he is to avoid the same career path as Welbeck.

José Mourinho came out firing last week after some sections of the media had criticised his use of Rashford, who has not started since the opening weekend of the season.

The England forward scored twice during the international break but was suspended at the weekend as Manchester United beat Watford.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher has insisted the time is now for 20-year-old Rashford to nail down a regular place at Old Trafford.

“I agree with everything that Mourinho said but that’s not me backing down on what I said,” Carragher said. I’m not talking about how many minutes Rashford gets.

“The reason I said what I said was because I was talking more as a centre-forward. Since José has come, he’s only started 12 games as centre-forward in the Premier League and he burst onto the scene as a striker, he said he wanted to be a striker.

“My whole point was that it is the most difficult position to come through at a top six club because the manager has to believe he’s got a centre-forward who can win him the league and win him the Champions League.”

Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku has started 37 of United’s 43 Premier League games since he joined the club before the start of last season and Carragher believes Rashford may have to leave the club to avoid the same fate as fellow Manchester United academy graduate Danny Welbeck.

Welbeck played wide for United under Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes before moving to Arsenal, where he has also consistently been used away from his favoured position down the middle.

“I’m not saying Mourinho is wrong and should play Rashford ahead of Lukaku, he shouldn’t, Lukaku is better than him. But if he wants to play centre forward, how does he do that?

“My point is that he might have to move away,” Carragher said.

“I like Danny Welbeck as a player and I hope this doesn’t come across disrespectful but Marcus Rashford does not want to become Danny Welbeck.

“What I mean by that is that he came through at United as a centre-forward, then used on the left, then the right, he was delighted to get minutes and all these things.

“But he ends up becoming a squad player, never nailing down a centre forward position, he moves to Arsenal and exactly the same thing has happened, where does he play? He does the same for England and that’s what you don’t want.”

Rashford is in line to start on the wing for United as they begin their Champions League campaign against Young Boys on Wednesday.