For a while, it seemed like Marcus Rashford's chapter at Manchester United had finally come to an end. After his loan spell at Barcelona, where he continued to perform relentlessly and reminded everyone of the attacking quality he possesses, it appeared almost inevitable that the Catalan giants would make his move permanent.
Instead, Barcelona shocked many United fans by choosing not to take up their option to buy Rashford, with the club instead showing interest in Anthony Gordon & eventually signing him. Suddenly, the forward's future became uncertain again. There were still rumours that he could join another club before the transfer window closed, but eventually, the most unexpected outcome became reality, Rashford was getting a second chance at Manchester United.
It was the same Manchester United where Rashford had previously made it clear that he wanted a "new challenge." Yet, under Michael Carrick, who earned the permanent managerial position after an impressive spell as interim boss, the door was seemingly reopened.
And that decision could now be creating a major problem for United's attack.
Carrick Slowly Reintegrated Rashford
Carrick's public responses whenever he was asked about Rashford were generally positive, making it increasingly apparent that the manager was willing to reintegrate him into the squad.
For many supporters, however, there was an uncomfortable feeling that this was becoming another example of a player receiving yet another opportunity at Manchester United despite having seemingly reached the end of his road at Old Trafford.
Fast forward to the current Premier League campaign, and Rashford has indeed been gradually integrated into Carrick's starting XI.
The problem is what United have sacrificed to accommodate him.
The Sesko, Mbeumo and Cunha Combination Was Working
Last season, Manchester United had an attacking combination that offered something extremely valuable, chemistry.
Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha may not have been flawless, but whenever the three were given the opportunity to play together, they demonstrated promising understanding and produced strong numbers.
Their individual statistics from last season underline why breaking up that attacking unit deserves scrutiny:
Bryan Mbeumo — 33 appearances, 11 goals, 3 assists
Benjamin Šeško — 30 appearances, 11 goals, 1 assist
Matheus Cunha — 33 appearances, 10 goals, 2 assists
Collectively, that is 32 goals and six assists in 96 appearances.
None of the three have made the best possible start to the current campaign, although Sesko has also only recently returned from injury. That context is important. Still, there was a functioning attacking structure that deserved more time to develop.
Instead, Rashford's reintegration appears to have disrupted it.
Rashford Has Not Been Terrible, But That Is Not the Point
This is where the argument needs some nuance.
Rashford has not necessarily been disastrous since returning to the starting XI. There have been positive moments, and his individual quality is undeniable.
The bigger issue is that Manchester United are a team, not a collection of individual reputations.
In attempting to find a place for Rashford, other attackers appear to have been moved away from their most effective positions or given fewer opportunities.
Sesko, in particular, needs consistent minutes to establish himself. Mbeumo and Cunha also need an attacking structure that allows them to play naturally rather than constantly adjusting to accommodate another player.
There is a simple footballing principle that applies here: don't try to fix something if it isn't broken.
If United already had an attacking trio showing chemistry, why dismantle it before giving it a genuine opportunity to develop further?
Carrick Must Take Responsibility
Rashford cannot receive all the blame.
He was reportedly expected to leave Manchester United, and the club's failure to find a permanent solution for its highest-paid player is a significant part of the problem. United created this situation by allowing Rashford to return without having a clear long-term plan for him.
But once he remained at Old Trafford, the final decision belonged to Carrick.
Carrick is the manager. Carrick picks the team.
If he chooses to start Rashford at the expense of an attacking combination that previously showed greater balance, then he has to accept responsibility if the system stops functioning.
Being the highest-paid player does not automatically mean someone should be a guaranteed starter. Football managers are ultimately judged on results, and United have already dropped too many points for sentimentality or reputation to dictate selection.
United Cannot Afford to Wait Forever
Perhaps the biggest concern is timing.
How long can Manchester United afford to wait?
The club has already started the Premier League season poorly. Every additional dropped point increases the pressure on Carrick and makes experimentation increasingly difficult.
At some point, the manager has to be ruthless.
And right now, returning to Sesko, Mbeumo and Cunha as the first-choice attacking trio could be the logical solution.
That does not mean Rashford should be completely frozen out. He can still be an important squad player, provide competition and earn his way back into the starting XI through performances.
But nobody should be undroppable.
Has Rashford Destroyed Carrick's Attack?
Ultimately, saying Rashford alone has "destroyed" Manchester United's attack would be unfair.
The situation is the result of a much bigger club-wide failure. Manchester United could not sell their highest-paid player, despite seemingly deciding that his time at the club had reached its conclusion. Barcelona did not make his loan permanent, leaving the club with a difficult situation to resolve.
Rashford also has some responsibility. His previous desire for a new challenge and the inconsistency that contributed to his departure mean he cannot simply expect another guaranteed place in the team.
However, Carrick now has the responsibility to make the ruthless footballing decision.
If the Rashford experiment continues to come at the expense of United's attacking balance and results do not improve, the manager will eventually have to answer for it.
Carrick cannot afford to become Mr Nice Guy.
He needs to select the players who give Manchester United the best chance of winning, regardless of wages, reputation or history.
For now, the evidence suggests that restoring the Sesko-Mbeumo-Cunha combination deserves serious consideration. The trio may not have been perfect, but there was chemistry there.
Manchester United should be trying to build on what worked, not continuously rearranging the attack simply to accommodate a player who was supposed to have left.