Marcus Rashford has been recalled to Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United squad for the visit of Newcastle to Old Trafford, live on Monday Night Football.
Amorim has named the forward on the bench to face Eddie Howe’s side in Man Utd’s final game of 2024. When asked to explain the reason for his inclusion by Gary Neville, the Portuguese told Sky Sports: “Selection.
“We have a lot of players [out] so he’s in. Like I’ve said, every week I choose my players and he was there to be chosen. This time, he is here.”
Rashford has not played since since being substituted in the 56th minute of Man Utd’s 2-1 victory over Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on December 12.
Since then, he has missed four games over the festive period – including the victory at Manchester City, as well as losses to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and against Bournemouth and Wolves in the Premier League.
Neville: Why has Amorim brought Rashford back?
Sky Sports’ Gary Neville at Old Trafford:
“A lack of goals is a big issue. Having someone with that profile out of the team completely and chucked away almost for the last few weeks was always a question that Ruben Amorim was going to get until he brought him back. The question tonight is, why have you brought him back? It may be quite obvious.
“They’re not scoring a lot of goals. They’ve obviously got suspensions and players out of form, and maybe think that he’s bucked up in training in the last few days, but it’s a big question for Amorim tonight. Why has he brought him back now? Obviously, Bruno Fernandes is suspended.
“What sort of mood is Marcus Rashford going to be in? How are the crowd going to be with him? It’s questions that need answering but it’s not ideal.”
Why did Amorim drop Rashford?
Amorim previously revealed he dropped the forward due to “selection” reasons rather than injury or illness, starting at the Etihad for the Manchester derby earlier this month, when Alejandro Garnacho was also not included in the 20-player matchday squad.
Asked to explain the decision to omit Rashford and Garnacho, United boss Amorim told Sky Sports: “Selection.
“We try to evaluate everything – training, performance, game performance, engagement with the team-mates, push the team-mates up.
“Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players, so it was my selection. Simple. I don’t want to send a message (to the dressing room with this). It’s simply an evaluation and they know it.
“The players are really smart and so everybody understands my decision and I have to choose. It’s just a simple selection.
“Of course the context is difficult – we have to win games and we have a difficult situation now.
“But like I said, I pay attention to everything – the way you eat, the way you put on your clothes to go the game. Everything. I make my evaluation and then I have to decide. I have a lot of players to choose (from) and today I did my choice.”
Garnacho was recalled on December 19 for the Carabao Cup visit to Spurs. Conversely, Rashford was still absent and the England international would then conduct an interview with journalist Henry Winter in which he revealed he was “ready for a new challenge”.
Amorim subsequently questioned the decision-making from the player’s camp following those public comments regarding his future at Old Trafford.
“It is a hard situation,” Amorim told Sky Sports. “I understand that these players have a lot of people around them, making choices that are not the first idea from the player.
“I am always here to help Marcus as another player. I have to do what I have to do. They chose to do the interview as it is not just Marcus. I understand that.
“As a coach I focus on performance and the way you train. The rest, it is better for me and the club to deal with that when the time comes.
“At the moment I focus on improving Marcus and we need a talented guy like Marcus. I forget the interview now and see what I see on the pitch.”
Amorim subsequently left Rashford out of his squad for a fourth consecutive game but following another damaging defeat against Wolves at Molineux, the new boss has offered the forward the chance to make an impact in United’s final game of 2024.
Man Utd team news
Team to play Newcastle: Onana, De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez, Mazraoui, Casemiro, Eriksen, Dalot, Amad, Hojlund, Zirkzee.
Subs: Bayindir, Kukonki, Malacia, Yoro, Collyer, Mainoo, Antony, Garnacho, Rashford.
Rashford to the rescue? The damning stats behind Amorim’s start
- Manchester United have lost four of their last five games in the Premier League, as many defeats as in their previous 15 matches in the competition (won seven, drawn four).
- Only Everton and Southampton (both nine) have failed to score in more games this season than United’s seven.
- Amorim is the first Manchester United manager to lose as many as five of his first 10 games in charge of the club in all competitions since Walter Crickmer in January 1932 (six/10).
- No side has conceded more goals from corners in the Premier League this season than Manchester United (nine – level with Wolves).
