Featured Image Credit: BT Sport
Topics: Marcus Rashford, Real Betis, Manchester United
Josh Lawless
Marcus Rashford took just six minutes to respond to Manchester United's 7-0 blitzing at the hands of Liverpool, doing so with a stunning strike to open the scoring against Real Betis.
United suffered one of the worst defeats in their history at Anfield on Sunday and needed to bounce back at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
Erik ten Hag named the exact same side and they made the best possible start in the Europa League round of 16 first leg clash.
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Wout Weghorst had a goal chalked off for offside but then moments later, Rashford put United ahead with a netbuster of an effort.
The ball dropped to him and he sent the defender sliding on the deck with a deft feint before smashing in a devastating finish past former Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.
The shot was hit with such venom that it nearly broke the net. Rashford notched his 26th goal of the season and his 18th since he returned from the World Cup with England.
Rashford celebrated with his usual finger-pointing celebration as United fans roared euphorically.
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He's scored a number of sublime goals in his most prolific campaign for United but the sheer power of this one means it will surely be up there with the best.
The worldie garnered reaction aplenty, as did the Betis defender's crazy attempt to block the ball with his head.
One fan wrote: "With each new angle on the slo-mo replays it looks more and more like the defender was willing to die trying to block that, hilarious, horrifying."
Another said: "Crying at this guy who almost got his head blown off trying to block a 5th minute shot in the Europa League."
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A third commented: "That Real Betis defender was lucky Rashford didn’t take his head off!! 26 Not Out for Marcus Rashford."
A fourth weighed in: "What’s Rashford’s shot power? The goalkeeper was helpless."
A final user joked: "Rashford's shot power should be measured in light speed."
On-loan Leicester City forward Ayoze Perez levelled matters with a glorious finish past David de Gea but Antony scored a beauty of a curler with his trusty left foot and Bruno Fernandes added a third with a powerful header after a difficult few days.