Former Premier League star and England coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has slammed Marcus Rashford and questioned if football is even his number one priority.
Rashford has struggled for United since scoring 30 goals in all competitions in the 2022/2023 campaign and had a miserable season last time out as he managed just eight goals in all competitions.
The England international was also caught up in several off pitch controversies as well and his attitude and body language on the pitch were questioned on multiple occasions.
Hasselbaink slams Rashford
Erik ten Hag is faced with the task of getting Rashford back to his best form, with United looking to get back into the Champions League this season.
The 26-year-old scored his first Premier League goal of the season in the recent win against Southampton and followed that up with two goals in the Carabao Cup against Barnsley.
However, Rashford strangely found himself on the bench for last weekend’s goalless draw against Crystal Palace before being restored to the line-up for the disappointing draw against FC Twente in the Europa League on Wednesday evening.
Ten Hag had reminded the forward of the importance of a good lifestyle earlier this month and Hasselbaink has torn into the United academy graduate and questioned if football is even his main priority.
“When you look at Marcus Rashford and you look at his body language and I’m not saying this is true, but it looks like football is not his main priority,” Hasselbaink told Genting Casino.
“Do we know if Rashford can play football? Yes. Hell, yes. When he’s playing off the left and he’s playing his best football, he’s a very, very good player.
“When he was at his top level, he used to sprint so much and run in behind the defence. He used to work so hard running at defenders. That’s when Marcus is at his best – and I just don’t see that anymore.
“For a player like Rashford, when one of your main attributes is that explosive pace, you have to suffer for your art.
“You have to be prepared to give everything to work as hard with and without the ball, and that means you need to feel a little bit of pain because it takes a lot of physical power to ask your body to do that in every single game. I don’t see a player that is willing to push himself like he used to.”
United face a crucial game against Tottenham at Old Trafford on Sunday and Ten Hag will have to decide if he’s going to start Rashford in what feels like a must not lose game already at this early stage of the season.