Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has reiterated that Marcus Rashford’s ongoing exclusion from the first-team squad will not be influenced by the club’s recent results.
Rashford was once again absent from the matchday squad as United suffered a 2-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day. Goals from Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-chan, along with a red card for Bruno Fernandes, sealed another disappointing loss for the Red Devils.
This marked Rashford’s fourth consecutive game on the sidelines. After being dropped for the Manchester derby earlier this month, the England international expressed his desire for a “new challenge.” Since then, Amorim has not reinstated him, only vaguely attributing his continued absence to behavior issues in training.
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United had managed a last-minute victory over Manchester City without Rashford but have since lost to Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth, and now Wolves.
Despite his side’s struggles, with United sitting in 14th place nearly halfway through the season, Amorim remains resolute in his decision regarding Rashford. “It’s always the same reason,” the Portuguese manager said firmly. “We have to be the same professionals, the same guys, winning or losing. Losing, I have to be stronger. I will continue with my idea until the end.”
When asked if Rashford had done anything in training to change his mind, Amorim responded bluntly: “If he’s not here, you can make your mind up.”
Rashford’s absence could be extended further, with Amorim also set to be without Fernandes for the next match. After picking up a third red card of the season at Molineux, Fernandes will miss the upcoming Premier League clash against Newcastle United on Monday.
Unless Rashford takes dramatic action in the coming days, it is likely he will join Fernandes on the sidelines. As Amorim told BBC’s Match of the Day: “I just do what I think is the best for the team.”