Man Utd's Carrick hails debut star Rashford
Manchester United's Michael Carrick said Friday that "you can't put a price" on the goalscoring debut of homegrown rising star Marcus Rashford.
The 18-year-old forward, only called into the starting line-up after Anthony Martial was injured in the warm-up, scored twice as United beat Denmark's Midtjylland 5-1 on Thursday for a 6-3 aggregate victory that set up a Europa League last 16 tie against arch-rivals Liverpool.
United found themselves facing fresh embarrassment in a desperately disappointing season when they fell 3-1 behind on aggregate on Thursday after Pione Sisto scored for the visitors in the 27th minute at Old Trafford.
An own-goal then brought United back into the tie only for Juan Mata to have a penalty saved before Rashford's second-half double delighted home fans and eased the pressure on manager Louis van Gaal.
Ander Herrera's penalty and a goal from Memphis Depay then set the seal on United's victory.
"It's great. You can't put a price on that for the younger lads, especially Marcus," Carrick, who made his senior bow as a teenager with West Ham in 1999, told MUTV, United's in-house television station.
"It's incredible and brings back memories for me, (of) when I made my debut," added the now 34-year-old Carrick, who was deployed at centre-back rather than his usual midfield position against Midtjylland.
"It's what football's all about and what this club has been about for so long.
"For a local lad to do that and come through the system like that, I'm delighted for him."