- The forward has been left out of three consecutive matchday squads
- But he was spotted in the tunnel at Old Trafford while wearing club gear
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Are Tottenham managers treated differently to other managers?
Marcus Rashford has been seen for the first time since being brutally axed from Manchester United’s squad last weekend.
The 27-year-old was left out by head coach Ruben Amorim for the derby win over Man City and did not crack the squad against Tottenham or Bournemouth.
But rather than watch from home, as he did for the victory at the Etihad and for the rollercoaster defeat by Tottenham in the Carabao Cup, Rashford was spotted at Old Trafford to watch his team-mates face Bournemouth on Sunday.
A photo shared on social media showed a smiling Rashford posing for a photo with a young supporter in the tunnel while wearing a club tracksuit.
Amorim has publicly insisted he wants the forward to stay but has now dropped him entirely for three consecutive games, raising the possibility he may leave in January.
An interview at a local school in which Rashford declared he was ‘ready for a new challenge’ raised eyebrows and his last appearance for United came in the 2-1 victory against Viktoria Plzen on December 12, when he was taken off after 56 minutes.
Marcus Rashford was at Old Trafford to watch Manchester United face Bournemouth
The forward was left out of a matchday squad for the third straight game by Ruben Amorim
Rashford is under contract until 2028 on a deal worth around £325,000-a-week.
Boss Amorim looked to play down the situation on Wednesday, telling reporters: ‘We are better with Marcus Rashford, that is simple, and we will try different things to push Marcus to the best levels he showed in the past.
‘This kind of club needs big talent and he’s a big talent, so he just needs to perform at the highest level and that is my focus. I just want to help Marcus.
‘Nothing has changed. We believe in Marcus. Marcus is a player of Manchester United, so there’s no change.’
Pressed after the loss at Tottenham on whether Rashford is presenting a disciplinary issue instead of a training one, Amorim replied. ‘No, no it’s the same thing, guys.
‘It will be the same thing.’
A section of United supporters unfurled a damning message in the away end at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium which read, ‘Excuses. Ta ra, Marcus.’
Gary Neville believes that Rashford must leave United after becoming a ‘distraction’.
Rashford’s last appearance came in the victory at Viktoria Plzen, where he played 56 minutes
United supporters unveiled a damning banner at Tottenham reading: ‘Excuses. Ta ra, Marcus’
Gary Neville believes Rashford must leave the club after becoming a ‘distraction’
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville said: ‘If you’d said to me seven or eight days ago whether Rashford could leave in January, I’d say no chance.
‘One thing in the past with players at a big club, if you’re talking to me about it every single week, it becomes a distraction for the manager and the focal point of the press conference, that’s when it does become obvious they have to leave.’
Club legend Neville also threw his backing behind Amorim’s ruthless approach, saying that the coach is ‘doing the right thing’ by leaving him out.
Neville said: ‘Something has to change at Man United. For 10 years there’s been a lot of the same players delivering the same results.
‘We’ve talked about culture a number of times. If there’s players who aren’t quite fitting in, for one reason for another, if they’ve not got good enough quality, they’ve got to be let go. Ruben Amorim knows now, five managers before him have fallen.
‘Some of those have shown faith in these same players. It’s a case of protecting himself and doing the right thing for himself and the club.’
