Manchester United forward, Marcus Rashford recently found himself at the center of a major selection decision made by head coach Ruben Amorim. In a surprising move, Rashford, along with his teammate Alejandro Garnacho, was omitted from the squad for the highly anticipated Manchester derby against Manchester City.
This decision, which took place on December 15th, 2024, has sparked considerable discussion and speculation among fans and analysts alike.
The omission of Rashford and Garnacho was not due to injury or illness, as confirmed by both the club and Amorim himself. Instead, it was a strategic choice made by the head coach, who cited "selection" reasons for their absence.
Amorim explained that his decision was based on a comprehensive evaluation of various factors, including training performance, game performance, and overall engagement with teammates.
He emphasized that it was a simple selection decision, stating, "I don't want to send a message. It's simply an evaluation, and they know it. The players are really, really smart. Everybody understands my decision. I have to choose. It's just simple selection."
Despite being left out of the matchday squad, Rashford maintained a positive attitude and showed support for his team. Following Manchester United's dramatic 2-1 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, Rashford took to social media to express his excitement and pride in his teammates' performance.
He posted a strong four-word message: "Yesssssssss! Love it lads," demonstrating his unwavering support for the team despite his personal disappointment.
Rashford's exclusion from the squad came after he had started in the Europa League match against Viktoria Plzen earlier in the week, where he was substituted early in the second half.
Under Amorim's leadership, Rashford has scored three goals, but he has also faced challenges, having been named on the bench for the last two Premier League games against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, both of which ended in defeat for United.
Amorim's decision to leave out Rashford and Garnacho was communicated to the players via WhatsApp ahead of the game, a method that is part of the team's normal routine. Both players trained well on the morning of the match, indicating that their exclusion was purely tactical rather than disciplinary.
This isn't the first time Rashford has faced such a situation. In November 2022, he was left out of the starting lineup for a game against Wolves by then-manager Erik ten Hag for "internal disciplinary" reasons. However, this time, the decision was purely based on selection criteria, as reiterated by Amorim.
The Manchester derby itself was a thrilling encounter, with United securing a late victory thanks to goals scored during what is often referred to as "Fergie time," a nod to the legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson's teams' knack for scoring late goals. The win was a massive boost for United, especially given the recent challenges they have faced in the league.
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