Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim refused to be drawn on questions over the continued absence of Marcus Rashford from his side, with the Red Devils losing a third game in a week on Boxing Day.
Rashford has not featured for his side since the Europa League win over Viktoria Plzen in Czechia, having admitted in a bombshell interview that he is ‘ready for a new challenge’.
The forward has since not featured for United, sitting out each of the last four games, three of which have ended in defeats for the Old Trafford club.
With results not going the way Amorim might want, naturally the intensity ratchets up, specifically with regard to topics like players not featuring, and what conclusions might be drawn from such absences.
As such, Amorim kept his cards close to his chest when the questions naturally turned to the absent star, who has hardly been tearing up any trees with his form this term, scoring just four in 15 Premier League games.
‘It’s always the same reason it’s going to be,’ he told Prime Video when asked about Rashford.
Ruben Amorim refused to be drawn on questions over Marcus Rashford’s continued absence
Rashford has missed the last four games since United’s clash against Viktoria Plzen this month
‘We have to be the same professionals, the same guys, winning or losing. Losing, I have to be stronger. I will continue with my idea until the end.’
‘If he’s not here, you can make your mind up,’ the Man United head coach added.
Rashford’s continued exclusion from the side has been a topic of conversation more or less since his interview was made public earlier this month.
While Amorim will know that the best way to make questions go away is to turn results around – if indeed he is bothered at all by the enquiries – it is also perhaps important so early in his rein that a line be drawn.
As former Man United defender Wes Brown suggested on Prime Video’s coverage, though, Rashford’s form makes it difficult to force his way into the side with the likes of Amad Diallo thriving under the new regime.
‘It’s disappointing again that he’s not in the squad,’ Brown said on Prime Video.
‘It seems the manager has set his terms: “If you want to be in the squad, these are the terms you go by – whether it’s training, off the field, whatever”.
‘And ultimately, that has not been sorted out yet. It’ll be a very sad day if we do see Marcus go.
Amorim dropped Rashford for the Manchester derby – which his side went on to win 2-1
Rashford had a brilliant 2022-23 season, but Ben Foster claimed the forward has ‘lost that fire’
‘But ultimately, you have to be on the same wavelength as the manager. I honestly think it’s getting close [to Amorim’s strongest line-up]. I think this is as close as you’re going to get right now.’
After 30 goals in the 2022-23 season, Rashford struggled to live up to the levels he had set in 2023-24, with his inconsistent form continuing into 2024-25.
Mail Sport had reported earlier this month that the club may listen to offers as low as £40million for the English forward.
However, Ben Foster, who played for United, West Brom, Watford and Birmingham in the Premier League, ripped into Rashford and suggested that that fee might still be a touch too high.
‘Marcus Rashford…’ he said on his Cycling GK podcast. ‘There’s so many people that talk about him that say “on his day, on his day”.
‘His day is once every 10 games. Genuinely, it’s once every 10 games and you can’t have a luxury player in the modern game that will give you one game out of 10, it’s as simple as that.
‘Coupled with fact that he gets so much reputation and baggage and everything that comes with it, I don’t think Mikel Arteta wants that anywhere near that Arsenal.
‘He has to get away from Manchester United. I think it’ll be an MLS (move) or something. It’s going to have to be a massive wage cut.’
Rashford said last week he is ‘ready for a new challenge’ in an interview after he was dropped
‘Once that fire goes, can you get that back?,’ he added. ‘It has to come from him. I don’t think he can get it back.
‘Again, you’re talking about money which does really ruin everything lads.
‘Once people have that massive contract and they’ve got that five years in the bank and they’ve got everything they’ll ever need for the rest of their life, that takes it (that fire) away.
‘They were talking £40m you know as well. Even 10, I ain’t paying £10m… because of everything.’
