Amorim Addresses Rashford’s Career Trajectory Directly

Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United: ‘Today was different’ – Ruben Amorim As the new head coach of Manchester United, such days are among the best. When two of the squad’s most high-profile members, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, were excluded not only from the team but also from the entire travelling party, Ruben Amorim would have anticipated scrutiny. With two minutes remaining at Manchester City, it appeared Amorim was facing an uncomfortable post-match debrief. However, one of the players who has responded most effectively to his arrival transformed Amorim and United’s evening. Amad Diallo earned the penalty that enabled Bruno Fernandes to score the equaliser. Subsequently, the Ivory Coast forward, having transitioned into an advanced role from the wing-back position initially assigned by his new manager, netted a superb winning goal less than two minutes later. “I think so,” Amorim stated when questioned if he believed United merited their first victory at Etihad Stadium since 2021. “We did a great job. We believed a lot. It was different to [the defeat at] Arsenal. There I didn’t feel the belief. I did today.” “Amad is in a good moment. Erik [ten Hag] brought him to the first team. Ruud [van Nistelrooy] did a great job. Now don’t make the same mistakes we made in the past.” Amorim did not elaborate on what these previous mistakes were, nor whether they pertained to Amad or the team collectively. Time constraints prevented further explanation. During an eight-minute media discussion, the primary topic revolved around two players who were not present at the stadium. As United celebrated their winning goal, Rashford shared an image on social media. “Yesssssssss! Love it lads,” read the caption, accompanied by two heart emojis for emphasis. Garnacho remained silent. Both players had participated in training at Carrington on Sunday morning but were not selected for the City match. Rumours regarding the reasons for their respective exclusions circulated widely in Manchester. Nevertheless, when providing an explanation, Amorim repeatedly asserted that it was not a disciplinary matter. Upon closer examination of his statements, it was difficult to avoid the conclusion that the issue stemmed from a lack of discipline, or at least a decline in standards. Amorim even referenced recent staff redundancies to underscore the point that failure to meet his demands would result in consequences. “Next week, next game, new life,” he declared. “For me it’s important; the performance in training, the performance in games, the way you dress, the way you eat, the way you engage with your team-mates, the way you push your team-mates. “Everything is important. In our context, in the beginning of something, when we want to change a lot of things, when people in our clubs are losing their jobs, we have to make the standards really high.” “Today the team proved we can leave anyone out of the squad and manage to win if you play together.” Amorim cited Jonny Evans as an illustration, indicating that with more squad members fit, there would not always be a place for everyone, a reality the 36-year-old veteran defender experienced today. However, there is a clear and significant distinction between Evans, who is enjoying a late career resurgence at his boyhood club, and both Rashford and Garnacho. Rashford is among United’s highest-paid players, and Garnacho is considered one of its most promising young talents. Notably, both also prefer to operate in the wide attacking role, a position that does not feature in Amorim’s revised team formation. While Amad has adapted swiftly and thrived, Rashford and Garnacho have evidently not. “It’s a big talking point because he’s obviously seen things he doesn’t like,” former United captain Roy Keane informed Sky Sports. “But for us it’s not a big surprise because both players have been poor and he has said enough is enough.” “He is putting a marker down. Let’s see how they react to it. We have talked about attitude for the last couple of years. A new manager will be picking up on all this.” For Rashford specifically, past issues have been documented. He was previously dropped by Ten Hag for a match against Wolves after missing the start of a team meeting, and in January, Ten Hag excluded him after learning Rashford had extended a planned trip to Belfast beyond schedule, leading to him being late for training. At 27, Rashford should be at the peak of his career, but there is a perceived sense of drift that Amorim appears prepared to address directly. Rashford had participated in every game since Amorim’s appointment until Sunday’s Manchester derby. Rashford’s omission from the starting line-up was foreshadowed on Saturday when an accurate report of the United XI was circulated on social media. In Sir Alex Ferguson’s era, the leaking of team information would have triggered an internal investigation, with consequences for any identified culprit. Amorim, however, is adopting a more relaxed stance. “It is not a good thing but I think it is impossible to fix,” Amorim commented. “You have a lot of people in the club and the players talk with the agents.” Furthermore, in addition to Rashford and Garnacho, another member of the United squad likely experienced the victory with considerable disappointment. Amorim has already identified England midfielder Mason Mount as a potentially crucial component of his team. Yet Mount, who has been plagued by numerous injuries since his £55m transfer from Chelsea 18 months ago, was making only his eighth Premier League start for United at City and lasted just 14 minutes before he “felt something” while stretching to control the ball.