After scoring in the Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle, Marcus Rashford has now found the back of the net on 25 occasions in all competitions for Manchester United this season - and the England ace is showing no signs of slowing down.
The 25-year-old has already surpassed his previous best tally of 22 goals in a campaign, but with 14 league matches left - and potentially several more in the FA Cup and Europa League - Rashford will have plenty of chances to add to that tally. He has been Erik ten Hag's main attacking threat in recent months, but it is vital that he remains focused.
While it took some time for the forward to be given his goal in last weekend's Carabao Cup final, he was eventually credited with the Reds' second of the afternoon. He certainly deserved to be on the scoresheet, and it was fitting that he played a part in United winning their first trophy since 2017.
ALSO READ: Why potential Qatar takeover is dividing United fans
Ahead of the hotly anticipated clash with Liverpool on Sunday, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp put bitter club hostilities to one side to admit he is "happy" to see Rashford in the form of his life for Ten Hag's side. The German coach is understandably wary of the threat that the United man poses - especially with Erling Haaland (27) and Harry Kane (18) being the only two players in the division to have registered more league goals this season.
Klopp lauded Rashford's overall game, while also insisting that the United academy graduate was 'playing incredible' for the Reds. It is clear why the Liverpool boss was so keen to praise his opponent ahead of the crunch match, but his comments still hold value. As much as anything, they show that the 25-year-old's form has become an unavoidable topic.
"It's impossible to be positive about something at Manchester United when you are Liverpool manager, but I am happy for Rashford," Klopp said at his press conference on Friday morning. "He is playing incredible. Speed, calm, a mix of everything."
It is not the first time that Klopp has praised Rashford of late. The former Borussia Dortmund manager insisted that the United ace was one of the "best examples" for his underperforming Liverpool players to follow last month. At the time, the Merseyside club were struggling in their fight for a top four place, while United were thriving in the Premier League and three cup competitions.
Liverpool are still enduring an underwhelming campaign, and their first-leg defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League was symbolic of their season so far. However, Klopp's side have improved in recent weeks and are back in the hunt for a spot in Europe's premier competition.
Discussing his side's poor form in early February - when Liverpool were ninth in the table - Klopp said: "It's something you have to deal with. Of course, some players didn't reach the level that have reached for us consistently. One of the best examples is Marcus Rashford, the season he had last year and this year. I'm not sure he can even explain it. That's how it goes. The time between these two extremes, you have to fight through it."
Rashford was on target when the two sides met in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford in August, with Jadon Sancho also getting on the scoresheet. It was the game that kickstarted United's season after two disappointing defeats to Brighton and Brentford respectively.
The England ace has been lauded by his manager, teammates, pundits, opposition bosses and fellow professionals throughout the season. Clearly, the consistent praise has not led to a drop-off in his performances - even if that was what many of his opponents were hoping for.
When the forward faces off against Liverpool, he is coming up against a manager that admires his talent. For Rashford, then, he has the perfect opportunity to prove that everything Klopp said about him is true.
READ NEXT:
