Marcus Rashford’s mother has warned the Manchester United striker to be wary of negative influences around him – and revealed the personal heartbreak that has contributed to his recent struggles.

Rashford scored an extra-time equaliser against Liverpool in United’s dramatic 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final win on Sunday in what has otherwise been a troubled season for the player on and off the pitch.

He was fined two weeks’ wages worth around £650,000 after a boozy night out in Belfast in January that led to him missing training and an FA Cup tie against Newport County. Earlier in the season, he was reprimanded by United manager Erik ten Hag for going out until the early hours after his side’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City when he had training that morning.

Now Rashford’s mum Melanie Maynard has warned her son that not everyone around him may have honourable intentions.

“Marcus is human, so he will have ups and downs in his life like everyone else,” Maynard wrote in the Times.

“Marcus is in a very good place, he will never let anyone down. But you always need to be wary of people’s intentions around you – sometimes people around you can be wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing.

“After a good win against Liverpool on Sunday and Marcus’s England call-up, things are looking bright again.”

Maynard has also revealed how Rashford struggled to come to terms with the loss of his cousin Nathan last year, which followed the death of “very good family friend”, Garf, in 2022.

Rashford scored 30 goals for United last season before signing a new five-year contract in the summer but Maynard – who has written a book The Autobiography of Miss Melanie Eldora Maynard – says her son has been dealing with considerable personal anguish.

“Marcus produced an unbelievable performance last season, scoring 30 goals and 11 assists, to warrant a new contract,” she wrote.

“After that, Marcus lost a second very important person in his life: his cousin Nathan in November, after a very good family friend, Garf, had died a year earlier, which set him back a lot. It was a lot for someone so young to deal with.

“Marcus is United through and through from when he was younger. He always wanted to play football professionally at his boyhood club. He worked so hard.

“He always believed in ‘If you believe, you will achieve’. He’s had to sacrifice a lot to get to where he is today.”