• Marcus Rashford has played almost 30,000 minutes in his career already at the age of 27
• The model has predicted he will reach only 36,595, meaning he is already nearly 75% through his career and will continue to decline.
• His peak was the 2022/23 season, but he played a staggering 4,287 minutes and it has come at the cost of future performances.
• Michael Owen and Dele Alli have comparable minutes played and injuries sustained ratios to the Manchester United forward – fellow wonderkids who peaked early in their career before entering a state of decline.

Data suggests incoming Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim could well wield the proverbial axe on the career of Marcus Rashford.

The 27-year-old, who has scored once in ten Premier League games this season, has already played a significant amount of minutes in his career having burst onto the scene as a teenager in the 2015/16 season under Louis van Gaal.

However, data analysts at Completesports.com have tracked these minutes and compared them to fellow English wonderkids, who proceeded to enter a period of decline. Michael Owen and Dele Alli were perhaps two of the brightest superstars who, despite early promise, failed to achieve their fullest potential due to injuries.

Overplaying young athletes can lead to increased injury risks, affecting their long-term performance and career longevity. This report will analyse their game time, injury histories, and explain just how long Rashford has left at the elite level.

Game Time and Injury Data Overview

Marcus Rashford is showing signs of struggling with the increased workload he has been put under since an explosive debut almost a decade ago. He is only able to manage 2,386 minutes before sustaining an injury, missing an average of more than four games each time.

In comparison to Dele Alli and Michael Owen, this is relatively small. Owen tended to be injured for 96.44 days on average, whilst Dele sustained 15 injuries in comparison to Rashford’s 12. However, the number of minutes he has already played in his career and the steady decline in his goal contributions is what will alarm Amorim.

Whereas players like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard played fewer minutes as youngsters and developed into superstars, Rashford was thrust into the limelight before his body had a chance to develop. As we can see from the graph below, his output as a forward will gradually tail off at the elite level.

Overuse and Its Impact on Performance

Research into sports injuries has shown that overuse and intense physical activity, particularly at a young age, increases the risk of injury and can result in long-term musculoskeletal issues. Studies indicate that repetitive strain without adequate recovery time may lead to chronic injuries and a gradual decline in performance.