Manchester United defeated Chelsea handily in the Premier League on Wednesday to bounce back from their defeat at the hands of Newcastle United.
Manager Erik ten Hag took a risk by benching underachievers Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial from the starting eleven, despite heavy criticism from the British media.
Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial were absent, but Antony and Alejandro Garnacho performed brilliantly in their place. Given the form the United tandem has shown, the manager is probably thinking of sticking with the same two.
The top scorer from the previous campaign, Rashford, has had a remarkable amount of difficulty this season and seems to be only a ghost of his former self. During the Saturday pre-match press conference prior to the match against Bournemouth, the manager answered questions regarding Rashford.
Although the manager underlined that only the best trainees would be guaranteed a berth in the matchday squad, he expressed his continued confidence in the academy graduate.
The manager emphasised the value of constant work, encouraging Marcus Rashford to take inspiration from Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay in terms of turning around his team’s fortunes in the middle of the season.
Rashford made a late appearance in the second half of Chelsea’s match, although the Manchester Evening News claims he was sick and missed the last training session.
Given Rashford’s poor performance this season, it could be wise to bench him for a little while. Perhaps a mental reset can help him rediscover his shooting form from the previous campaign.
