Marcus Rashford dedicates his goal against Everton to his late cousin after breaking his eight-match drought... after being handed penalty duties in a bid to give the out-of-form forward 'a confidence boost'

Marcus Rashford has dedicated his extremity - netted during Manchester United's 3-0 triumph against Everton connected Sunday - to his precocious relative successful nan aftermath of their 'recent' passing. 

The 26-year-old scored from nan spot to double nan distant side's lead aft team-mate Alejandro Garnacho put United up pinch a glorious overhead strike, wide considered to be a contender for extremity of nan season. 

The England world has had a stuttered commencement to nan play connected nan heels of a blistering play for his boyhood nine during their 2022-23 campaign, which saw him people 30 goals crossed each competitions. 

Amidst an uneven spell of shape impacting United itself, Rashford's return this play has been much modest, pinch his tally conscionable 2 pinch a further 4 assists. 

But nan weekend's fixture marked nan extremity of an eight-game drought without output arsenic nan guardant was nerveless from nan spot, and Rashford shared a poignant connection connected societal media explaining why nan extremity mightiness person meant much to him than usual. 

'I would for illustration to dedicate nan extremity yesterday to my relative who precocious passed away. GBNF (gone but not forgetten) (dove of bid emoji),' nan subordinate wrote. 

Over 2,000 fans shared their support and well-wishes nether nan tribute, which included urgings for nan guardant to retrieve his form. 

Rashford was a astonishment campaigner to measurement up and return nan kick, but was handed nan opportunity by regular taker Bruno Fernandes successful an effort to manus nan subordinate 'a boost'. 

'I felt Marcus needed confidence, needed his goal,' nan United skipper shared aft nan last whistle. 

'Marcus is an fantabulous punishment taker too. I'm judge he could people that penalty. It's not astir who takes it, it's astir scoring that penalty, and Marcus did it perfectly. Strikers, wingers, they want to people goals, they request to people goals.

'That's portion of nan game, it gives you a boost. I deliberation aft nan penalty, Marcus was unstoppable, he could return connected everyone,' Fernandes added. 

Whether imbued pinch assurance from nan punishment aliases not, Rashford continued to make ray activity of Sean Dyche's embattled Everton side, mounting up Anthony Martial for nan visitors' 3rd pinch 15 minutes near of normal time. 

Supporters later poked nosy astatine nan subordinate appearing to reunite pinch his erstwhile fiancee Lucia Loi before nan game, with immoderate suggesting it mightiness beryllium nan logic behind his upturn of form. 

On nan heels of a tense 1-0 triumph against Luton Town, and important defeats successful their cup campaigns against Newcastle and Copenhagen, a decisive triumph connected nan roadworthy should further raise nan side's spirits up of a daunting travel to Galatasary to proceed their star-crossed Champions League run connected Wednesday. 

Former Man United subordinate Roy Keane deemed Erik 10 Hag's men to person 'a small spot of their swagger back, definitely', and nan Dutch head will beryllium keen to spot his squad footwear connected successful Istanbul. 

United were nan victims of an distant smash-and-grab triumph for nan Turkish Super Lig broadside astatine Old Trafford successful October, aft nan outfit were crippled by Casemiro picking up a reddish paper pinch nan people level astatine 2-2. 

After missing an earlier penalty, erstwhile Inter Milan man Mauro Icardi netted nan victor 10 minutes earlier nan extremity of normal time.

The consequent conclusion against Copenhagen connected nan roadworthy anterior to nan past world break leaves United languishing rock-bottom of their Group A pinch 3 points.