Manchester United Manager Amorim Addresses Advisors’ Influence on Rashford

Marcus Rashford has been absent from Manchester United’s last three matches, prompting manager Ruben Amorim to question the “choices” made by individuals close to the forward. Rashford, 27, had previously stated he was “ready for a new challenge” in an interview after being excluded from the squad for the 2-1 victory against Manchester City on 15 December. The England international subsequently missed the 4-3 Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat by Tottenham and was also omitted from the team when United lost 3-0 to Bournemouth on Sunday, intensifying speculation that he might depart Old Trafford in January. “It is a hard situation,” Amorim told Sky Sports. “I understand these players have a lot of people around them, making choices that are not the first idea from the player.” He added, “They chose to do the interview as it is not just Marcus.” ‘He wants to play. He is trying’ Since making his debut in 2016, having progressed through the United youth ranks, Rashford has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances for the club. However, despite achieving 30 goals across all competitions in the 2022-23 season, he has struggled with his form in three of the preceding four seasons, drawing criticism from pundits and fans alike for several uninspired performances during that period. Amorim stated his ability to “separate” the decisions of those advising Rashford from his own relationship with the player. “At the moment I’m focused on improving Marcus,” he added. “We need a talented guy like Marcus. I forget the interview now and see what I see on the pitch.” Regarding Rashford’s future, the Portuguese boss indicated that it is a matter for him and the club “to deal with that when the time comes.” Speaking to the broader media before United’s upcoming match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday, Amorim denied that the discussions surrounding Rashford were a distraction, adding: “Some guys have a big responsibility here because they have been here for a long time.” He further commented, “If you have big talents, [we need] big performances, big responsibility, big engagement to push everybody forward in this moment. Like any other player, [we want him to be] the best he can be.” “This is maybe one of the lowest moments in our club. We have to face it and be strong.” United’s significant defeat by the Cherries means they will enter Christmas in 13th place in the Premier League; following their game against Wolves, they are scheduled to host Newcastle on 30 December. This marks their lowest position in the table at this stage since 1986, when they were 15th, just over two months into Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure as manager. Amorim was forced to halt his post-match news conference on Sunday due to a leak in the ceiling of the press room. When later questioned about his intentions to reverse the club’s fortunes at Old Trafford, the former Sporting coach gestured towards the ceiling and remarked: “If I knew, I would solve all the problems of this club, even this.” He concluded: “I know what I am going to do. That is so clear for me. I will not say I feel relaxed because I’m really frustrated. It’s a very difficult moment but we will solve problems step by step and find answers for everything.”