"You cannot ask him to do what Cristiano has done during his career because that wouldn't be fair" - Ander Herrera backs Manchester United star to become one of the biggest players in club's history

Former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera believes that Marcus Rashford has what it takes to be one of the biggest players in the Red Devils' history.

Rashford rose through the ranks at Manchester United's academy before making his senior debut for them in their UEFA Europa League win against Midtjylland in 2016. He has since been a key player for them, making 327 appearances across all competitions so far.

The forward notably had a dip in form last season when he managed to score just five goals in 32 matches. The rough patch saw him attract severe criticism from pundits and fans alike.

However, Rashford has made a positive start to life under Erik ten Hag, who took charge of the Red Devils in the summer. He has found the back of the net five times in 10 games so far.

Herrera has claimed that Rashford makes a big difference for Manchester United when he is up and running. The former Red Devils midfielder also insisted the forward will continue to grow as a player under Cristiano Ronaldo's mentorship. He told ESPN [via The Metro]:

"Marcus makes a big difference when he’s fit and when he’s in a good moment – and he has now the best teacher in the team, with the best example, with Cristiano."

Herrera, though, pointed out that it is unfair to compare Rashford to the likes of Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He added:

"So, of course [he can be a key player], but sometimes we are not fair with some players. We are not fair with Marcus or – I could give you more examples – with Vinicius [Junior] or with these kind of players."

"You cannot compare them with [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano because it’s like if the Spanish midfielders, we are compared with Xavi [Hernandez] and [Andres] Iniesta. We are going to lose [that comparison], of course."

The Athletic Bilbao midfielder went on to stress the need for people to judge the 24-year-old individually. He said:

"But you have to judge them individually. Marcus can be a fantastic player for Manchester United. He is, in fact, he has done some amazing things at the club."

"You cannot ask him to do what Cristiano has done during his career because that wouldn’t be fair."

Herrera then backed his former teammate to become one of the best players in Manchester United's history. He concluded:

"Marcus has everything to become one of the biggest Manchester United players in history. He is back at his best, he is scoring and helping the team and as a United fan I’m happy."

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Rashford and Herrera played together at Manchester United

Herrera plied his trade for the Red Devils for five years between 2014 and 2019. He made 189 appearances across all competitions during his time at Old Trafford.

The Spaniard notably played 108 matches with Rashford during that period. The two even combined to find the back of the net five times.