Chris Sutton has claimed Manchester United star Marcus Rashford looks like he needs to leave the club and pursue a ‘fresh challenge’ amid his slump in form this season.

Rashford’s form was discussed by Sutton and co-host Ian Ladyman on the latest episode of Mail Sport’s ‘It’s All Kicking Off’ podcast. 

The forward has endured a difficult campaign, scoring just twice in 20 appearances for Man United after netting 30 goals in 56 matches last season. 

Ladyman, Mail Sport’s Football Editor, admitted he is beginning to worry for Rashford after the England forward has dropped out of Ten Hag’s starting eleven.

Chris Sutton has claimed Marcus Rashford needs to leave Man United for a fresh challenge 

Sutton told ‘It’s All Kicking Off’ that Rashford currently looks ‘tormented, bored and stale’

Rashford has started Man United’s last two matches on the bench amid his struggle for form

‘Where’s Marcus Rashford going to go now in his career at 26 years old when he should be really at his peak years or approaching his peak years. I’m beginning to worry for him a little bit,’ Ladyman said.

‘He’s not in Ten Hag’s team, rightly or wrongly he’s being labelled or he’s being chucked in publicly with the band of kind of malcontents at Manchester United, what’s being portrayed as the anti-Ten Hag group which would appear to include [Jadon] Sancho and [Raphael] Varane.

‘Rashford’s been lumped in with that lot. Don’t know if that’s right or not, but it’s been talked about. I’m sure Marcus would disagree. But he’s not playing and he doesn’t look right, and his body language doesn’t look right.

‘So where are we going to go with Marcus Rashford? Where’s he going to go, Chris? What do you see when you see him, when you see him play, when you look at his numbers?’

Sutton claimed that Rashford currently looks stale at Man United and could do with a fresh start away from Old Trafford.

He agreed with the recent scrutiny of Rashford’s work ethic, with the forward’s body language having been questioned by fans and pundits. 

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Rashford signed a new five-year contract in June after scoring 30 goals for the club last season

‘He looks tormented at this moment in time. I think for him and his career, I think he looks bored, he looks stale,’ Sutton said.

‘I think that he’s a player who actually needs a move away from Old Trafford and needs a fresh challenge.

‘I think this was a debate doing the rounds a couple of seasons ago where he seems to have lost his way, but he just seems to be meandering along.

‘I think there are questions about his work ethic within the team, and I think that that’s a totally legitimate question and criticism. I don’t think he’s working hard enough.

‘But I think he looks like a player who needs a fresh challenge.’

Rashford’s struggles this campaign are a marked turnaround from his goalscoring form last season, which helped lead Man United back to the Champions League.

The Man United star’s body language and work ethic have been scrutinised in recent weeks

The Red Devils had relied heavily on Rashford who scored 17 of their 58 goals to secure a fourth place finish.

The 26-year-old was rewarded for his performances with a new five-year contract at the club in June worth a basic £300,000-a-week.

Rashford, on signing his contract, said he would ‘give everything to help the team reach the level we are capable of’.

His goalscoring form had led to Ten Hag setting Rashford a target of reaching 40 goals in a season.