Manchester United decided to send a message to Marcus Rashford by dropping him to the bench for the game against Chelsea last night, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his Daily Briefing column, Romano explained that while there wasn’t too much to read into Erik ten Hag’s decision to start Rashford as a substitute in such a big game, it was also an opportunity to give the player the message that they want him to return to his top level.
It’s been a poor season for Rashford so far, with the England international nowhere near the high standards he set for himself last term, when he scored a career-high 30 goals in all competitions for Man Utd.
Now, however, Rashford has managed only two goals in 19 appearances in all competitions this season, and some fans will feel Ten Hag was fully justified in leaving him out of the team.
Romano says it was partly just normal squad rotation, but he did also suggest there was an element of sending a message to the player, even if they do ultimately feel he will end up returning to his best level.
When asked if he had any inside info on Ten Hag’s decision, Romano said: “Technical decision, also rotation for Man United after many games. That’s it, also a message to Rashford as they want him to be back at top level. The club remains confident on his return at the best condition.”