Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has stressed his decision to drop Marcus Rashford from the starting lineup to face Chelsea is due to rotation and fitness.
The Red Devils can close the gap on their top-four rivals with a win at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night, returning to west London after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Brentford last weekend.
The fixtures are coming thick and fast for United, with rivals Liverpool heading to Old Trafford on Sunday.
Speaking to TNT Sports prior to kick-off at Chelsea, Ten Hag explained why Rashford was replaced in the starting XI by Antony.
“Marcus is on the bench for rotation to keep him and the team fresh through a busy period, with another big game on Sunday,” he said.
Rashford has endured a rather underwhelming season so far off the back of a phenomenal 2022/23 campaign in which he scored 30 goals in 56 matches across all competitions. This term, he’s managed only eight in 36 thus far.
The forward has also been criticised for his work rate and was most recently called out by United legend Rio Ferdinand on Sky Bet’s Stick To Football podcast.
“It’s a pivotal moment in his career now,” Ferdinand said of Rashford. “A lot of people look at potential and talent. He’s 26 – what were you [the panel] doing at 26? We were still making mistakes, don’t get me wrong, but on the football pitch you had it locked down, you knew what you were doing, you knew what you were about, who you were.
“There’s a big decision to make for him. He’s got to look at who is around him. I know his family play a big part with him, which is great, but who are the external people around that? Are they the right people, are they enabling him to make excuses for himself behind closed doors, or are they saying, ‘Look at yourself, and be accountable for what you are doing’? He needs to look at that and own that and make big decisions.
“When I joined Leeds United, I could’ve gone to Chelsea, and they were probably the club I preferred to go to at the time. The reason I left [West Ham] to go to Leeds was because it was out of London, and the external people around me, I needed to get away from. He’ll need to either decide to get rid of them and stay in Manchester or leave Manchester and get rid of those people. It might be an accumulation of different things, but that could be a big part because the people around you do have a big influence on how you are – especially accountability.”
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