Micky van de Ven has made an excellent start to his Tottenham career (Picture: Sky Sports)
Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven has surprisingly named Marcus Rashford as the toughest opponent he has faced this season.
The summer signing from Wolfsburg has made an eye-catching start to his Premier League career and played a key role in Spurs’ rise to the summit.
Ange Postecoglou’s side remain unbeaten heading into Monday night’s London derby against Chelsea and the 22-year-old will be among one of the first names on the team sheet.
Few forwards have been able to trouble the Netherlands international but Van de Ven conceded Rashford provided a constant test of his defensive abilities.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: ‘To be honest the home game against United, Rashford for me he’s a top player
‘Of course Man United is not doing that well in the league, they have a tough period now.
‘But if you see the quality of Rashford and of course it’s really difficult to play in a team that’s not going really well.
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‘But Rashford for me when I played against him, it’s like every second of of the game he can do this and make a goal.
‘Every time with the ball he’s so strong. For me he’s a top class player.’
United manager Erik Ten Hag, meanwhile, says it was ‘unacceptable’ of Rashford to go to a nightclub party after last weekend’s embarrassing derby defeat to Manchester City.
The homegrown talent has managed just one goal for the misfiring Red Devils during a poor start to the season on both an individual and collective level.
Rashford has looked a far cry from the player that plundered 30 goals for United last term and his off-field decision-making came into question after last Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to City.
Reports emerged the following day that the England international, who turned 26 on Tuesday, had gone to the Chinawhite nightclub for a pre-arranged birthday party hours after the Old Trafford loss.
‘Yes, I am aware of it,’ manager Ten Hag said of Rashford’s post-derby night out.
‘I spoke with him about it. It’s unacceptable, I told him, he apologised and that’s it. For the rest it’s an internal matter.’
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The Dutch centre-half has looked to be a very shrewd signing.