Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has dismissed speculation regarding Marcus Rashford’s absence from the starting lineup against Crystal Palace, attributing it solely to “rotation.”
After a sluggish start to the season, Rashford had found his form, scoring three goals in two games against Southampton and Barnsley. However, Ten Hag chose to include Amad Diallo and Joshua Zirkzee in the lineup for the match at Selhurst Park, leaving Rashford and Antony on the bench.
Despite United applying pressure in the first half and missing several chances, Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund were brought on in the second half, but the team failed to score, resulting in what felt like two points dropped.
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Ten Hag’s decision to bench Rashford drew questions from fans and pundits, including Jamie Redknapp, who speculated about possible issues behind the scenes.
In response, Ten Hag said, “Already there is speculation. Pundits should not bring such speculation when they don’t know the situation. This had nothing to do with the pre-match press conference. I am very happy with Marcus. His defending and offensive duties are solid, and he’s scoring. It was just about rotation.”
Earlier, Ten Hag had raised concerns about Rashford’s lifestyle, which contributed to a noticeable dip in form last season. “He probably needed some help, like backing him,” he mentioned last week. “Ultimately, he has to take responsibility for setting his life, training, and match attitude right. When he maintains his professionalism, he will perform because he is a class player. Every player knows that when your lifestyle isn’t right, you can’t perform at your best.”