Erik ten Hag has warned his Manchester United stars that they have to be disciplined ‘on and off the pitch’ in the wake of Marcus Rashford’s drunken escapades in Belfast.
Rashford will return to the squad at Wolves on Thursday night after taking the blame for what has been described as a 12-hour tequila bender that led to him missing training and Sunday’s FA Cup win Newport through illness.
Asked if Rashford’s behaviour showed a lack of respect towards his manager, Ten Hag said: ‘Nothing to do with that with me but in football, you need discipline and that is on the pitch but also off the pitch.
‘There is a line between, when every player, every professional knows this, what is required. We have to focus on winning football games and that’s all that matters and every top professional knows what is required.’
Ten Hag was reluctant to go into detail about what he says is an internal matter after Rashford fell foul of his manager for the second time this season by going nightclubbing.
Erik ten Hag has again refused to discuss Marcus Rashford’s boozy night out in Belfast which led to him calling in sick and missing training last Friday before being dropped
Rashford angered his United team-mates by going on a ’12-hour tequila bender’ in Belfast
Rashford was spotted going into a Belfast nightclub late at night despite having a training session at United the following morning
He missed training after going out until 3am in Belfast while visiting his old teammate Ro-Shaun Williams, and then tried to mislead the club by saying the night out was on Wednesday and not Thursday.
Ten Hag added: ‘So he has taken responsibility and for the rest it’s an internal matter. Case closed.’
Rashford, who was on the bench at Molineux last season after being late for a team meeting, returns to the squad at Wolves after contributing two goals and an assist in his last two league games.
Ten Hag is hoping that he can strike up a better partnership with Rasmus Hojlund after accepting that he will not be able to sign a replacement striker for Anthony Martial in the January transfer window.
‘So last two Premier League games, two goals, an assist,’ added Ten Hag. ‘There is a developing, strong bond between Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund and we want to continue that process.’
Eleventh-placed Wolves can move above United in the table if they win on Thursday night, and Ten Hag has called on his players to make a big push for the top-four.
‘Every game we have to see as a final and every game we have to get the best out of it,’ he said.
‘This team has so much experience, they know that. I’m quite positive now we have our players back. Some need match rhythm but the line into this game is quite good.
Ten Hag is hopeful Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund can continue to develop their partnership
Hojlund was on target in Rashford’s absence during the FA Cup victory at Newport
‘They had a friendly game (against Burnley), now a cup game (against Newport) and now you go into a Premier League game. The build-up is quite good for those players, so now we have to make the next step so individuals get back to their best form.
‘We are quite confident and on our best days we can beat anyone. On our worst days, we go down to certain limits of what is not acceptable so we have to push our limits to high levels and on our worst days get our results in.
‘Everyone in the squad is very convinced about this. They know players are coming back from long-term injuries and the team will be stronger, it helps the motivation and it helps the mood and the spirit of the team.’
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