Marcus Rashford has been cautioned that he must demonstrate unwavering support for Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag or consider departing from the club.
Rashford’s absence from training the day after being captured in a nightclub in Belfast, reportedly after a tequila-fueled outing in Northern Ireland with a former teammate, caused embarrassment for United.
Despite bouncing back with a goal in the subsequent game against Wolves and delivering a strong performance against Aston Villa, former United winger Lee Sharpe has expressed apprehension. Sharpe believes that Rashford’s recent actions may indicate a lack of full support for Ten Hag.
“We know he likes to point to his head when celebrating and I think that’s where all the answers lie—does he love the club enough and want to play there enough?” Sharpe told Lucky Block. “He needs to want to help his team and try and reach those levels of last season; if he isn’t, then he may have had his head turned.
“Is he perhaps unhappy with the manager or the way that the club is being run? There may be something on the inside that we don’t know about that is making him that 4-5% unhappier at the club, in which case he needs to leave and be replaced by someone who is 100% behind the team and the manager. Only Marcus Rashford can really answer that question.”
Even prior to his controversial night out in Belfast, Rashford had faced widespread criticism for his significant decline in performances this season, especially considering his career-best tally of 30 goals in the previous term.
This campaign, he has only managed to score five goals, with his conduct drawing scrutiny after he was spotted at a nightclub following Manchester United’s disappointing 3-0 loss to Manchester City in October.
However, Rashford’s recent improvement in form has boosted United’s chances of securing a top-four finish and qualifying for the Champions League. They face a significant challenge on Sunday against Aston Villa, who currently sit fourth in the Premier League standings.