Rashford in the cold after being dropped despite unavailability of Ronaldo and Cavani

The moment Kelechi Ihenacho headed home the opener during Saturday’s Premier League game between Manchester United and Leicester City, the cameras briefly zoomed in on Marcus Rashford’s face.

He had come on just eight minutes earlier and, just like his other teammates, was struggling to make an impact against the well-drilled Foxes.

It’s been a long time since Rashford played a decent game for both club and country and his struggles have been evident in recent weeks.

The England international is enduring his worst ever campaign, having scored just four goals in the Premier League this season. More worrying is the fact that he has now lost his position in the team.

Rashford left on the bench again

Rashford missed the start of the season after undergoing surgery to correct a shoulder injury. Since his return, though, he hasn’t been himself.

In the matches that he has started, he has been atrocious and is gradually becoming a peripheral figure in Ralf Rangnick’s team.

The 24-year-old was once again left on the bench when the Red Devils hosted Leicester City at Old Trafford on Saturday.

This was despite the fact that both Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani were unavailable due to illness and injury, respectively. The fact that Rangnick preferred to play Bruno Fernandes as a false striker highlights how far Rashford has fallen down the pecking order.

Rashford in the cold

Rashford has scored more than 20 goals in each of the last two seasons, but currently, he seems to be a pale shadow of his old, lethal self.

Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga's form has seen the winger drop to the bench in recent months and he faces a tough battle to win his position back. Even worse, Gareth Southgate also left him out of the England squad for the Three Lions’ international friendlies in March.

"Marcus, it's no secret that he is not having his best time right now. It has to do with rhythm and confidence, it's our job to help him to get this confidence back,” Rangnick told Sky Sports after his side’s 1-1 draw against Leicester.

"The only thing we can do is speak to him regularly and tell him what we expect from him and what he should do. The rest has to be done by himself."

"It is possible to develop within a couple of weeks a level of confidence where you can be a different player again. We all know that Marcus can play better, but in the end he has to take the steps himself."

Indeed, only Rashford can dig himself out of this cold place. His performances and character on the pitch have been questionable and he needs to buck up sooner rather than later to save his club and international career.