Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag decided to take Marcus Rashford off at halftime against Porto in the Europa League.
It was a surprising decision from the Dutch manager considering how well Rashford played in the first half.
The English attacker gave the Red Devils a 1-0 lead early in the first half and then went on to provide an assist to his teammate Rasmus Hojlund who made it 2-0.
However, Porto scored twice in the first half to make it 2-2 and by halftime, Rashford was replaced by Ten Hag in a decision that surprised fans and pundits.
Alejandro Garnacho was sent on to replace the in-form attacker and Ten Hag came up with a bizarre explanation about taking Rashford off.
He told MUTV:
“We have to rotate. Garnacho, we didn’t start him.
“He had a great game, not only on Sunday, but I think in the whole season.
“We sub them because on Sunday we have another hard game, a good game, so we need players to be available and be fit and be fresh.”
Fans and some of the pundits are not buying this explanation from the Man United manager.
The game was there to be won against Porto and it was an important game in their season, not only for the team but for the manager as well.
Football pundit Don Hutchinson has questioned the actions of the manager and made claims about a possible rift between Ten Hag and Rashford.
He said while speaking on TNT Sports, as reported by The Mirror:
“I’m not buying it. I’ve been in dressing rooms at half-time, full-time and before games and it’s one of those where Erik ten Hag – and I’m not questioning him, because he knows his players and what’s gone on – I’m surmising from an ex-players’ point of view.
“Marcus Rashford was playing really well and looked sharp in the first half. So at 2-2, are you going to tell me that he’s been taken off because Ten Hag’s got an eye on the Aston Villa game? If you’re winning 2-0 or 3-0 and you take him off because you’re trying to protect the player and give him fewer minutes going into the Villa game, that’s totally understandable.
“But while the game’s in the balance at 2-2 in a big game, I don’t buy rotation, so I wonder if there’s been some sort of conflict or argument at half-time. That can happen. That’s what I’d be leaning towards. I could be wrong, but that’s what I’m leaning towards.”
Erik ten Hag should have kept Marcus Rashford on
It remains to be seen if Hutchinson’s assessment of the situation is right or wrong but questions will be asked about what Ten Hag is doing at the club.
His team’s lack of playing identity and their failure to show maturity in crucial situations has been a regular theme in his time at Old Trafford.
The manager has been backed by the hierarchy in terms of new signings arriving at the club and complete authority given to the manager to make changes.
With a tough fixture against Aston Villa coming up for Man United, Ten Hag’s job is getting more difficult with each week.
He has to find some answers soon to his team’s problems on the pitch and if he manages to do that, the off the pitch noise will vanish automatically.
Sack ETH as simple as abc….he cannot kept harmony with staff and players. Fans are tired of his reasons…..
The guy has no plan
Surely he must have a problem with Rashford
…he knows how to dampen spirits
He’s not my man pls
He should just leave man utd alone
Get rid of Ten Hag. He’s dragging the team down. Moral is shot, no strategy, wrong players. no plan.
ETH is out of his depth in the premiership. He has to go or the trend is downward. At 83 I have been a red for 73 years. Never seen anything like it. Jim Stroud.
if you have been a fan for 73 years were where you when sexton was manager or mcguiness, or big ron what about the season we got relegated, i have supported united since we won the cup against blackpool 1947/48 as a 12 year old kid,and i have seen some shockers , the loss in the cup against yeovil town for one and there has been a lot more before and after fergie trouble is some people have short selective memorys
ETH is not the first and will not be the last to lost his job, the United hierarchy is taking too long to Sack him
manchester united is above is level, he can not change anything to bring up man united, the club need much qualified coach with much experience like zida, allegri etc……..sack him let him fine his level among the medium teams like ajax, wolve, twente, westham united
If Rashford does not start against Villa, then definitely there has been an argument.
Don’t they say you play one game at a time?
Get rid of ETH! Too many bad decisions
Sack eth. Let van nisterooy run the rest or the year.
His main job should be todevelop the players in some form of plan and make them eager to play
I agree all heartedly he must go there going out with absolutely no direction so instead of playing like a team it’s like having ten individual players who have absolutely no idea what the rest are doing and taking your best player off at half time using the excuse of team rotation is just crazy he carnt use the excuse of injury or it’s not my team he needs to stand up and admit that he’s out of his depth and go before we become an even bigger laughing stock than we already are
The guy has no plan
Surely he must have a problem with Rashford
…he knows how to dampen spirits
He’s not my man pls
He should just leave man utd alone
ETH must go. I have no hope in him as he can’t take Man utd to better level