Coach salutes Rashford as England league ‘best’

London. Marcus Rashford has a claim to being the best striker currently playing in the Premier League as Harry Kane recovers from injury, Manchester United caretaker-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has suggested.

Rashford marked his 150th appearance for United with an outstanding goal as they defeated Brighton 2-1 in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Saturday.

England forward Rashford’s 41st goal for the club came six days after he scored the winner against Kane’s Tottenham at Wembley, and he now has seven goals in his past 10 appearances in all competitions.

England captain Kane damaged ankle ligaments against United, and is not expected to return to training until early March.

Solskjaer implied Kane, when fit, is the best centre-forward in England’s top division, but suggested Rashford, 21, is increasingly showing his potential to be a top-class striker too.

“You can argue for many strikers but I’m glad he’s in my team,” said Solskjaer, himself a former United forward.

“Harry Kane’s injured, so maybe that gives him (Rashford) a better chance to be the best at the moment.

“No one beats him on work-rate, no one beats him on attitude, and at the moment, he’s very confident in front of goal.”

The Norwegian added: “He finishes, he tries to shoot, he doesn’t think twice about it. At the moment, I think he’s playing the best football of his career.”

United’s win was their seventh in a row in all competitions, as Solskjaer became the first manager in the club’s history to win his first six league matches in charge.

Their run has pushed them back into contention for a top-four finish, which would secure qualification for next season’s Champions League.

However, despite going 2-0 up before half-time, with Rashford’s goal following a Paul Pogba penalty, United endured a nervous finish after Pascal Gross scored for Brighton with 19 minutes left. Solskjaer, appointed after United sacked Jose Mourinho, accepted the team were still a work in progress. (AFP)