Erik ten Hag makes blunt Marcus Rashford 'attitude' point ahead of Man Utd vs Man City

Erik ten Hag insists Marcus Rashford can be 'unstoppable' if the Manchester United forward's attitude is right ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby.

Rashford is expected to lead the line for United at the Etihad in what will be the 192nd derby, with Rasmus Hojlund and Anthony Martial both out injured. The 26-year-old has occupied the No.9 spot already this season but been largely ineffective when called upon.

It's been a disappointing campaign overall for Rashford, who has just five league goals to his name and has grabbed headlines for all the wrong reasons. But 30 goals last term is proof the forward can be deadly and Ten Hag has warned he has the potential to cause problems for City on Sunday.

"What he can take from the past, he can score a lot of goals, he can score against the biggest opponents in the world," Ten Hag told Sky Sports. "Against the best defenders in the world he is able to score and it's just about him.

"If he has his attitude right on Sunday, he is unstoppable and that is just about him and of course, we have to serve him. It's a part of it, but in all the games, also against City, he had big chances to score goals and also he scored goals, many goals against City and especially I think in the Etihad."

Rashford will need to be at his best to help United come away from the Etihad with anything, following last weekend's disappointing defeat at home to Fulham. Ten Hag's side did progress past Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup but were reliant on a Casemiro goal from a set-piece.

Hojlund had scored seven goals in six appearances before suffering a muscle injury and it is becoming increasingly difficult for Ten Hag to find a reliable source of attacking threat. United will be without up to eight first-team players for Sunday's derby and as well as having no natural striker, will have no left-back available with both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia out.