Zlatan Ibrahimovic has tipped Marcus Rashford to 'take over everything' but Manchester United's Swedish superstar is pleading for his young team-mate to be allowed to develop in his own time.

Rashford's stunning rise to prominence following his two-goal debut in a Europa League tie with FC Midtjylland in February won him a place in England's squad for the summer's European Championship.

But the brakes have been applied somewhat to the 18-year-old this term by new United boss Jose Mourinho and, as a result, Three Lions boss Sam Allardyce.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is first on the scene after Marcus Rashford's dramatic late winner at Hull

Rashford played only the second half of Manchester United's 2-1 derby day defeat by City

Rashford marked his first United appearance of the campaign by hitting a dramatic goal at Hull

Rashford has featured just twice from the bench for his club this season, scoring a stoppage-time winner at Hull and then turning in a lively performance after replacing Jesse Lingard halfway through United's 2-1 derby defeat by Manchester City.

He was also left out of Allardyce's first England squad, only to respond by firing a hat-trick in the Under 21s' 6-1 dismantling of Norway last week.

'First of all, he's 18, he's still young. He has a lot of time,' Ibrahimovic told MUTV.

Teenager Rashford (pictured with Lewis Baker) hit a hat-trick for England Under 21s last week

'I think the way you have to approach a player like that, where everyone is talking about the talent and what he's able to do and what kind of potential he has, is to remember he still has a lot of time.

'It's not like he needs to take over the world today, the club knows that, the coach knows that and the team knows that.'

Ibrahimovic struck his team's consolation against City, the 34-year-old's fourth goal in as many Premier League outings following his summer move to Old Trafford from Paris Saint-Germain.

Swede Ibrahimovic has scored four in four for United and expects Rashford to shine, in time

And although he has had limited time in which to develop an on-field relationship with Rashford, the striker has been greatly impressed by what he has hitherto seen from United's latest homegrown talent.

'We know his quality and what he's able to do,' said Ibrahimovic. 'What the world is seeing now, we already know because we see it every day.

'There is no need to rush to push him and put him in the heat zone and put a lot of pressure on him because that can have the opposite effect.

Jose Mourinho and Sam Allardyce have both applied a cautious approach to using Rashford

'Time by time, he will take over everything. It's about having patience.'

Furthermore, former Inter Milan and Barcelona forward Ibrahimovic is keen to help guide Rashford - along with the teenager's fellow batch of Old Trafford prospects - on their journey to the top.