Marcus Rashford was dropped for Manchester derby and has not played since
Ruben Amorim has repeated that it is not a disciplinary issue sidelined the striker
LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Are Tottenham managers treated differently to other managers?
By NATHAN SALT
Published: 07:45 EST, 22 December 2024 | Updated: 07:46 EST, 22 December 2024
Marcus Rashford continues to be frozen out by Ruben Amorim as the Man United head coach again left the striker out of his matchday squad.
Rashford's omission for the home game against Bournemouth makes it three successive games that he has not even made the substitutes' bench.
Amorim has publicly admitted he wants his unsettled star to stay at the club - but his actions suggest he has moved on from the 27-year-old.
Rashford was axed for the Manchester derby last weekend and then did not travel with the rest of the United squad to London during the week for the Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat to Tottenham.
Despite being under contract until 2028 on a deal worth around £325,000-a-week, his future at Old Trafford is in real doubt and last Tuesday he added fuel to that fire when he revealed he wants a 'new challenge'.
Amorim tried to defuse the issue on Wednesday, saying: 'We are better with Marcus Rashford, that is simple, and we will try different things to push Marcus to the best levels he showed in the past.
Marcus Rashford has been left out of Manchester United's squad for the Bournemouth match
Ruben Amorim (right) has now omitted Rashford (left) from his squad for three straight games
'This kind of club needs big talent and he's a big talent, so he just needs to perform at the highest level and that is my focus. I just want to help Marcus.
'Nothing has changed. We believe in Marcus. Marcus is a player of Manchester United, so there's no change.'
Pressed after defeat to Tottenham about whether Rashford is presenting a disciplinary problem, rather than a training one, Amorim doubled down and said: 'No, no it's the same thing guys. It will be the same thing.'
Away at Tottenham, some of United's travelling fans showed they are siding with Amorim in this to-do.
In response to Rashford's interview, some United fans expressed their discontent towards the 27-year-old with a banner which read: 'Excuses ta ra Marcus', a nod to an infamous banner raised against Sir Alex Ferguson in his early years at United.
With United under pressure to satisfy the Premier League's Profit & Sustainability Rules (PSR) they are likely to listen to offers in excess of £40million for Rashford.
Rashford has ambitions of playing in Spain where he has been linked with Barcelona in the past.
United are open to selling Rashford and are likely to listen to offers of around £40million for him
Paris Saint-Germain have previously held talks with his representatives but are unlikely to make a move in January.
A number of top Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester City are in the market for a forward, and there will inevitably be interest from Saudi Arabia's big four of Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli.
Rashford has scored seven goals in 24 appearances in all competitions for Man United this season.
The forward has netted 138 in appearances in 426 matches since breaking into the Red Devils' team back in 2016.
Manchester United XI vs Bournemouth: Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez; Dalot, Mainoo, Ugarte, Malacia; Fernandes, Amad; Zirkzee