Unstoppable Marcus Rashford delivering magic both on and off the pitch

Marcus Rashford's infectious smile was on full display as he walked into the Old Trafford tunnel at full-time on Wednesday.

That smile was understandable, with the striker having netted a sensational hat-trick as a substitute in Manchester United's 5-0 thumping of RB Leipzig in the Champions League. It was his first career treble and it was special for many reasons.

On a day when the House of Commons voted against extending free meal vouchers to vulnerable children through the upcoming holidays, Marcus Rashford returned to football with aplomb.

In the last few months, the 22-year-old has led a campaign to feed vulnerable kids across the United Kingdom (UK) and has succeeded in making a massive difference.

3 - Marcus Rashford is only the second Man Utd player to score a hat-trick as a substitute after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer versus Nottingham Forest in February 1999 in the Premier League. Super. pic.twitter.com/DVEfo9HHZw

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 28, 2020

The narrative hitherto was that he should “stick to football”. Rarely did he post any of his off-field successes in helping to feed poor children without a troll or two popping up in the comments section to ask him to “stick to football”.

On Wednesday though, he proved that he can deliver magic both on and off the pitch. Marcus Rashford was unplayable against RB Leipzig and his hat-trick was a deserved reward for his explosive cameo appearance.

The English striker replaced Mason Greenwood in the 63rd minute when the scoreline was just 1-0. He ended the match with three goals to his name, putting in one of the most lethal performances ever seen at Old Trafford.

Rashford could have ended the game with another goal had he not unselfishly allowed strike partner Anthony Martial to take a penalty awarded to Manchester United.

Marcus Rashford's game by numbers vs. RB Leipzig:27 minutes played4 shots (most)3 shots on target (most)3 goals (most)3 take-ons completed (joint-most)Hat-trick hero. pic.twitter.com/In1OlsOCtJ

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 28, 2020

"Marcus Rashford came on and did well but the groundwork was there from the team," Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told BT Sport in his post-game conference, as quoted by The Express.

"That's what you want that from the subs. What a shift they put in. Leipzig are a high press, the intensity, so we had to dig deep.”

Marcus Rashford has become an inspiration to many in and outside the footballing world. His performances in recent times were perfectly summed up by a viral tweet that read: “MBE by day, MVP by night.”