Marcus Rashford has the potential to be Manchester United's Harry Kane, says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Rashford has scored three goals in his four starts since Solskjaer’s appointment as Manchester United’s caretaker manager last month

Marcus Rashford has the potential to be in the same class of player as Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Rashford has scored three goals in his four starts since Solskjaer’s appointment as Manchester United’s caretaker manager last month.

The 21-year-old was frequently played out wide by Solskjaer’s predecessor Jose Mourinho, though the Norwegian has so far deployed him as a central striker.

Rashford’s form means he has every chance of starting ahead of Romelu Lukaku when United travel to play Tottenham at Wembley on Sunday.

And while United must be wary of Kane’s scoring prowess on Sunday, Solskjaer believes Rashford can become just as lethal as his England international team-mate.

“He can become a top, top striker,” Solskjaer said. “We can talk about Harry Kane and his class, and I’m sure Marcus as well. He’s got the potential to get up there.

“He’s got frightening pace, he’s now becoming stronger and can hold the ball up for us. He’s a great link player.”

Kane was 21-years-old at the time of his breakthrough season at Tottenham, when he scored 31 goals in 51 appearances during the 2014-15 campaign.

Rashford turned 21 last October yet had already been a first-team squad member at United for two-and-a-half years by that point, scoring 33 goals in 133 games.

A keen advocate of United’s youth policy, Solskjaer also believes that Rashford’s development through the club’s academy have left a particular stamp on his game that should be nurtured and encouraged.

“He’s been brought up here,” the United caretaker added. “There were a couple of sessions here with the young kids - ‘Chongy’ [Tahith Chong] and Angel [Gomes] and him and Jesse [Lingard] - they played together in a certain way, so he’s a very exciting player to work with.”

The trip to Tottenham will be the first true test of Solskjaer’s spell in charge so far and it sees him come up against the favourite to replace Mourinho on a permanent basis.

Marcus Rashford has been in fine form for United (AFP/Getty)

Solskjaer was reluctant to speak about Mauricio Pochettino in much detail, aware of the headlines that any comments might cause, but made his respect for the Argentinean clear.

“I can’t really comment because I’ve been sat on the outside too much. I’ve only met him once myself. He was a very nice man to speak to and we had a nice chat,” he said.

“He’s probably a very good man manager, but you’ve got to ask someone else. From the outside, he looks like that anyway.

“He’s got good players, it’s the same with me. It’s easier to play an attacking way and your way when you’ve got good players, and he’s got lots of good players.”

United are keen on Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino (Getty)

Despite five wins in his first five games, the United caretaker is yet to speak with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward about taking on the role permanently.

“We’ve not had that conversation,” Solskjaer said. “You don’t plan five or six months ahead and then suddenly after two weeks change that. No, nothing’s changed.

“We just keep working every single day on improving the team here. I work with a fantastic coaching staff, I have to say. We’ll put a plan together on how we want to look the next few months.”