Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim, has suggested he’d prefer to play a 63-year-old goalkeeping coach over a player who isn’t giving their best, when explaining why Marcus Rashford has been left out of the squad.
The England forward has not featured in a matchday squad for United in six weeks, and was once again absent for Sunday’s 1-0 win against Fulham in the Premier League.
Amorim criticized Rashford for not displaying the attitude of someone “giving the maximum every day.”
“It’s always the same reason – the training, the way I see a footballer should approach life. It’s every day, every detail,” said Amorim when asked about Rashford’s absence.
“If things don’t change, I will not change. It’s the same situation for every player – if you do the maximum and the right things, we can use every player.”
“You can see on the bench we miss a bit of pace, but I would put [Manchester United goalkeeper coach Jorge] Vital before a player who doesn’t give the maximum every day.”
Sources close to Rashford have insisted that the 27-year-old has no issues with Amorim and is eager to play for the club again.
Meanwhile, a potential loan move to Barcelona hinges on the departure of a couple of players, but both Eric Garcia and Ansu Fati are reportedly reluctant to leave the Nou Camp.
Former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Match of the Day: “The fans aren’t stupid. They see it’s not good enough from the players, and Ruben Amorim is just being honest. If you don’t train hard and dedicate yourself, you won’t be in the team. You have to show your manager you deserve a place.”
Ex-Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger added: “He wants to set an example, but if he does that, they’ll never be friends again. Amorim is also under pressure, so if he’s too harsh on the players, his teams have to improve.”
