Marcus Rashford says confidence is growing in the Manchester United ranks following a third consecutive away win.

United, who had not tasted victory on the road since March prior to last Thursday’s win against Partizan in Belgrade, are suddenly enjoying their best run of form this season.

They followed up Sunday’s 3-1 win at Norwich by beating Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge to reach the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, where they will host League Two Colchester.

Rashford put them ahead from the penalty spot and then, after Michy Batshuayi equalised, he celebrated his 22nd birthday with a stunning 30-yard free-kick.

The England striker told Sky Sports: “If you get a couple of wins back-to-back early on in the season it can change the direction the season is going.

“Because mentally, for a team like Man United, when you’re winning back-to-back games, the team’s confidence levels go up.

“So, if we can keep doing this and keep it up in the league, we take it game by game and go back up the table.”

Defeat brought Chelsea’s seven-match winning streak to an end, but manager Frank Lampard hopes for a boost with the return to training of N’Golo Kante.

The France midfielder has endured an injury-hit start to the season and had not figured for almost a month.

“He is hopefully going to join in training in the next two or three days,” said Lampard. “Hopefully he will be back before the international break.

‘I would have liked to have given Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic a rest because of the work they are putting in. I couldn’t because of N’Golo, Ross (Barkley), and Ruben (Loftus-Cheek) is long term.

“I couldn’t make those changes I wanted to but it is what it is I suppose.”