Rising Manchester United youngster Marcus Rashford has been named in the list of nominees for this year’s Golden Boy award. Rashford faces stiff competition for being named as Europe’s most talented U21 player for 2016, with the likes of Renato Sanches, Kingsley Coman, Marco Asensio and Gianluigi Donnarumma also in the running.
If Rashford does win the award, it would mean a Manchester United player winning it for the second straight season- Anthony Martial won it last year, and past winners include the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Rafael van der Vaart
Tuttosport have released a long list of nominees- 40 players, but we should expect that list to be trimmed in due course. Other Premiership based players in that list include Dele Alli, Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Leroy Sane (more for his Schalke achievements though), Marko Grujic, Demarai Gray and Reuben Loftus-Cheek. The Chelsea duo of Nathan and Andreas Christensen, on loan to Vitesse and Borussia Monchengladbach respectively, have also been named.
Rashford has had an incredible year- he scored on his league debut for United (two goals v Arsenal), his senior England debut (v Australia) as well as on his Europa League (v Midtjylland) and EFL Cup (v Northampton Town) debuts. Only Sergio Aguero has scored more goals in all competitions among PL based players since Rashford made his debut and Rio Ferdinand reckons he is the best striker in the country currently.
Rashford v Arsenal (debut video)
It’s been a good week for Rashford, who also seems set for a recall to the senior English squad after U21 manager Aidy Boothroyd did not name him in his side for their upcoming qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Bosnia & Herzegovina.
However Rashford and his teammates’ attention will first be focused on this weekend’s clash against Stoke City at Old Trafford. United have a brilliant record against Stoke- they’ve won all eight of their previous home league games against the Potters at Old Trafford and are unbeaten in their last sixteen at home against the same opponents in all competitions.
Stoke have had a wretched start to the season, picking up just two points from their opening six games. Fans are already fearing relegation- four of the last six teams to have such a start (2 points from six games) were sent down to the Championship at the end of the season.
Stoke’s goal difference is the worst in the Premiership and only West Ham have conceded more than the Potters at this stage of the season.
Given these stats, Stoke are not expected to cause an upset at Old Trafford, and this is reflected in the Potters’ long odds of 37/4 at 10Bet. At look at the bestbetting-sites.com website reveals that the company currently have a 50% matched deposit bonus offer on- worth having a look if you’re fancying Old Trafford to be breached by Mark Hughes’ men. United, in comparison, are being quoted at 10/31- the lowest odds for any home team for this weekend’s league fixture, reflecting the struggles of their opposition and the fact that Jose Mourinho may have started to pull things back together following back to back wins over Leicester City and Zorya Luhansk.
Stoke City league results so far
Stoke 1-1 WBA (D)
Palace 4-1 Stoke (L)
Stoke 0-4 Spurs (L)
Everton 1-0 Stoke (L)
Stoke 1-4 Man City (L)
Boro 1-1 Stoke (D)
Man Utd v Stoke- 2 October, 2016 (12.00 UK KO) (Referee- R.Madley)
United v Stoke is one of four Super Sunday fixtures, with Leicester v Southampton, Spurs v Man City and Burnley v Arsenal being the other three.