Marcus Rashford has largely been an ever present under Erik ten Hag at Manchester United and repayed his manager with 30 goals last term – but the forward’s recent poor performances have put his starting place in jeopard
Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United place is under threat amid concerns over his ongoing loss of form.
United boss Erik ten Hag is under huge pressure after six defeats from 10 games this season, making it the club’s worst start to a campaign for 37 years. Rashford is symptomatic of United’s malaise, with at least one member of Ten Hag’s coaching staff understood to have expressed concerns over his body language and decision-making.
Although Rashford provided the assist for Rasmus Hojlund’s opener in United’s 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray on Tuesday, the forward was guilty of a glaring error later in the game. With the score 1-1 early in the second half, Rashford contrived to waste a chance to present Bruno Fernandes with an open goal, a mistake that infuriated United fans.
England star Rashford plundered a career-best 30 goals last season, which earned him a lucrative new deal worth around £375,000-a-week, but so far he has found the net just once in nine games. United sources have indicated there are serious concerns behind the scenes over Rashford’s loss of form, with the 25-year-old struggling to justify his continued selection.
Ten Hag has options should he choose to jettison Rashford – taken off in his last two games – for Saturday’s visit of Brentford, which the United boss cannot afford to lose. Alejandro Garnacho, Facundo Pellistri and Antony – restored to the side after a leave of absence to fight allegations of domestic assault – could all come in for Rashford.
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Marcus Rashford struggled once again as Manchester United lost to Galatasaray (
Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Despite United’s dismal run, Ten Hag’s position is not under immediate threat, but defeat to Thomas Frank’s side at the weekend would put pressure on the board to act. United are already off the pace in the race for a top four spot, while defeats in their opening two Champions League games have left them bottom of Group A
Goalkeeper Andre Onana is set to keep his place, despite another howler on Tuesday, which led to a red card for Casemiro and cast further doubt on the wisdom of his signing. Ten Hag insists that the Red Devils must use their latest defeat as fuel to get back to winning ways against Brentford.
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“In the end, the fans are disappointed as we are. We are also very disappointed,” the Dutch boss confessed after United suffered their fifth defeat in seven games. “But that also has to be fuel and that is the good thing about this team. Every time they find the energy in every game, at the start of every game. There was a team with a lot of energy and with a good motivation
