Two-goal Marcus Rashford backed to become Manchester United's first choice No 9

The 19-year-old helped himself to a brace as United cruised into the Carabao Cup fourth round with a comfortable 4-1 win over Championship Burton Albion

Marcus Rashford has been backed to become Manchester United's first choice No 9 (Getty)

Jesse Lingard has backed Marcus Rashford to become Manchester United's first choice No 9.

The 19-year-old helped himself to a brace as United cruised into the Carabao Cup fourth round with a comfortable 4-1 win over Championship Burton Albion.

Lingard scored the third before Anthony Martial added a fourth after Rashford had put the home side on their way at Old Trafford with two goals in the opening 20 minutes.

And Lingard says Rashford, who was deployed in his favoured central attacking position in the absence of Romelu Lukaku, is a natural goalscorer.

"If he plays down the middle, he is bound to score goals," he said when asked about Rashford. "He's got the pace to beat players and he has got the composure in front of goal as well."

Martial was another who impressed in the third-round tie and Lingard has backed the Frenchman to continue his good form after bagging four goals so far - already halfway to last season's total.


 Rashford scored twice as United's No.9 on Wednesday evening 
 (Getty)

"When he is running at you, any defender is going to be put on the back foot," he added. "If he continues to do that throughout the season, he'll be a force this season. I thought we dominated the game throughout. With the pace we had up front, we pressed them early on and the early goal helped us a lot.

"It puts them on the back foot and starts us off on the front foot and we wanted more goals after that."

Mourinho called it a positive night all-round for United as his much-changed side progressed without picking up an injury or so much as a card.

There was also an important 45 minutes for England left-back Luke Shaw, who made a half-time return from the foot ligament issue sustained at the end of April.

"He did very well," Lingard added. "He came on at a comfortable score, so he's come into a game where he can get on the ball and make things happen."