Marcus Rashford wins Manchester United awards double after 30-goal bounce-back season

Marcus Rashford has scooped a prestigious double at Manchester United’s end-of-season awards.

The England forward was named as United’s Players’ Player of the Year for the 2022-23 campaign at a glitzy ceremony on Monday night, later also collecting the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year honour, which is voted for by fans.

Rashford is the first academy graduate to win the latter award since Ryan Giggs all the way back in 1998.

“What an incredible honour to win both the Sir Matt Busby and Player’s ‘Player Of The Year’ awards tonight,” Rashford tweeted. “To have the support of both the fans and my teammates means the world - I couldn’t do it without you all. Thanks to the manager & all the staff for their phenomenal help.”

It has been a memorable bounce-back season for the 25-year-old, who scored 17 goals in 35 Premier League appearances as much-improved United finished third to secure a return to the Champions League in their first season under the management of Erik ten Hag.

Rashford also scored six in the Carabao Cup - including one in the final - as United beat Newcastle at Wembley to finally end their six-year trophy drought, plus another six in the Europa League and one so far in the FA Cup with a blockbuster all-Manchester final against Treble-chasing City looming large next weekend.

With his goal in the 4-1 drubbing of Chelsea in the penultimate League fixture of the season at Old Trafford on Thursday, Rashford became the first United player to hit 30 across all competitions in a single season since Robin van Persie in 2012-13 - Sir Alex Ferguson’s final campaign in charge.

He also enjoyed an impressive World Cup campaign with England mid-season, notching a brace in the 3-0 win over Wales and also scoring in the Three Lions’ opening thrashing of Iran in Qatar.

In December, United triggered their option to extend Rashford’s contract by another 12 months until June 2024. He is currently in talks over a long-term extension, with Ten Hag recently stating his confidence that an agreement would be reached with both parties keen to thrash out a deal as soon as possible.

Elsewhere on Monday, Brazilian winger Antony, in a race to be fit for the FA Cup final due to an ankle injury, won United’s goal of the season award for his superb strike against Barcelona in the play-off round of the Europa League, netted at Old Trafford back in February.