The Glazer family, owners of Manchester United, are weighing rival offers from Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, chairman of one of Qatar’s largest banks, and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe. Further bids may still emerge, and reports suggest United could be under new ownership within six weeks. Despite the off‑field speculation, Erik ten Hag’s side remain focused on the pitch.
Marcus Rashford has been the catalyst for United’s impressive form in Ten Hag’s first season. The England forward proved too hot for Leicester at Old Trafford, scoring 24 goals in all competitions—the highest tally of his career. Remarkably, 16 of those goals have come in 17 appearances since his return from the World Cup in December. At 25, Rashford also became the first United player to score in seven consecutive home league games since Wayne Rooney in 2010. After a difficult period before Ten Hag’s appointment, which sparked talk of a possible departure, Rashford has rediscovered the form that made him a teenage sensation and is now United’s most influential player.
United sit third in the league, five points behind leaders Arsenal, after winning three of their last four matches. Ten Hag has downplayed expectations of catching Arsenal, who have a game in hand. Even if United fall short in the title race, the season could still be memorable as it may mark the final campaign of the Glazers’ 18‑year tenure. United have not won a major trophy since 2017, when they claimed the League Cup and the Europa League, and their last Premier League title came a decade ago. The silverware drought could end this term: United host Barcelona for the second leg of their Europa League play‑off on Thursday, then face Newcastle in the League Cup final three days later. They are also through to the FA Cup fifth round, where they will meet West Ham in March.
After a 2‑2 draw with Barcelona, Ten Hag made five changes to freshen the squad for a pivotal week. David De Gea produced a superb early save to deny Harvey Barnes, then later made a brilliant stop from Iheanacho’s header, earning his 180th United clean sheet and equalling Peter Schmeichel’s club record. In the 25th minute, Rashford delivered a clinical finish from Bruno Fernandes’s outside‑of‑the‑boot pass, exploiting Leicester’s offside trap. Ten Hag’s decision to play Rashford as a central striker paid off, and United should have been two‑up when Diogo Dalot mishit Fernandes’s cross. Rashford’s speed and movement made him unplayable, and he doubled United’s lead in the 56th minute with a composed finish after Fred’s pass, a goal briefly flagged offside before VAR overturned the decision. Leicester were left in disarray, and Jadon Sancho sealed the victory in the 61st minute with a finish from Fernandes’s pass.
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