New Delhi: Manchester United coach, Ruben Amorim has stated that he would prefer to sit his 63-year-old goalkeeping instructor rather than Marcus Rashford due to what he describes as a lack of effort. For the sixth consecutive week, the England forward has not been included in United’s matchday squad, as he was again left out of Sunday’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Fulham.
Rashford was criticized by Amorim for lacking the mindset of someone who is “giving the maximum every day,” but it is uncertain what the future holds for him now that the transfer market closes on February 3.
“It’s always the same reason – the training, the way I see a footballer should do in life. It’s every day, every detail,” Amorim’s response when asked about Rashford’s absence.d Amorim, when asked why Rashford was not available.
“If things don’t change, I will not change. It’s the same situation for every player, if you do the maximum and right things we can use every player.
“You can see on the bench we miss a bit of pace on the bench, but I would put [Manchester United goalkeeper coach Jorge] Vital before a player who doesn’t give the maximum every day.”
What’s up with Rashford?
🚨💣 Rúben Amorim on Rashford: “I’d put the goalkeepers coach Vital before I put a player who does NOT give the maximum every day…
…in training, in life, every detail”.@BeanymanSports 🎥 pic.twitter.com/UrjdZhKfwI
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 26, 2025
According to people close to Rashford, the 27-year-old has no problems with Amorim and is eager to play for the team once more. Kyle Walker’s arrival has shattered hopes of a move to AC Milan, as the Italian team is only able to sign one English player this month. The departure of a few players is necessary for a possible loan to Barcelona, and neither Ansu Fati nor Eric Garcia have expressed much desire to leave the Nou Camp.
“The fans aren’t stupid,” Shay Given, a former goalkeeper for Manchester City and Newcastle, said on BBC Match of the Day. According to him, Ruben Amorim is simply being honest when he says that the players’ performance is insufficient to win games.
“If you don’t train hard and dedicate your life, you won’t be in the team. You have to show your manager you deserve a place in the team.”
Thomas Hitzlsperger, a former midfielder for Aston Villa, went on to claim that Amorim wants to lead by example, but if he does that, him and Rashford would never get along. Considering how the relationship has gotten bad between the two, it seems like every decision that Amorim makes with regards to Rashford’s involvement in the team would eventually add more heat between the two.
Happy Birthday Ruben, but did you just turn 50?
Ruben Amorim has aged 10 years since going Manchester United 🤯😂
The birthday boy partakes in a bit of tomfoolery after a win over Fulham. pic.twitter.com/JMp8P9MWSW
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) January 27, 2025
Amorim’s tenure as Manchester United’s manager has been difficult, as he has had trouble getting his style of play to work. It appeared that Sunday’s match at Fulham would end in a dull goalless draw, but Lisandro Martinez’s deflected goal in the closing minutes gave them the win. Since Amorim took over as manager in November, it was only Manchester United’s fourth Premier League victory.
Amorim, who turns 40 on Monday, joked: “It’s not 40… I’m 50.
“After two months at Manchester United, it’s 50. It’s a privilege to spend my 40th birthday here.”
Since he hasn’t had many chances to smile during his stay at the club, Amorim will have embraced the opportunity. Despite their lackluster effort at Fulham, they managed to secure the victory, making it their third straight victory. After the game, Amorim admitted that it wasn’t the best performance from his side, but now he has a better vision of how to shape things, possibly in the upcoming fixtures. He caimed that United want to try a different style of play in the future.
Amorim’s take on transfer window
The focus has been primarily on outgoings, and Manchester United has yet to complete a signing with just over a week left before the transfer window ends. Antony, who was brought in for £81.3 million to join the Red Devils from Ajax in August 2022, left on Saturday to spend the remainder of the season on loan at Real Betis. Alejandro Garnacho, has also been linked to leaving the team, despite Amorim starting the 20-year-old at Fulham.
Similar to his teammates, Garnacho played a fairly ineffective game at Craven Cottage, but he did contribute to the game-winning goal when his cutback eventually found its way to Martinez. It has been suggested that selling Garnacho could help Manchester United raise money for purchases while avoiding any violations of sustainability and profit regulations. Amorim must now continue to make do with what he has, despite the Red Devils being linked to possible moves for Chelsea attacker Christopher Nkunku and Lecce full-back Patrick Dorgu.
Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim stirred conversation with a bold remark, stating he’d rather field a 63-year-old coach than play a player not giving their all in training—a comment widely interpreted as a veiled critique of Marcus Rashford’s recent commitment. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
