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Marcus Rashford arrived at Carrington this morning for “showdown talks” with manager Erik ten Hag in the wake of the forward’s latest disciplinary issue at Manchester United.
The 26-year-old was caught partying at a nightclub in Belfast on Thursday evening, despite having to return to United for training the next morning. As a result, Rashford reported sick on Friday morning, too unwell to train.
Ten Hag’s squad were beginning their preparation for the crucial FA Cup 4th round match against Newport County on Sunday. Rashford was excluded from the match-day squad and trained alone at Carrington yesterday instead.
Though United would emerge from the game 4-2 winners, Ten Hag was a tense figure before, during, and after the game. He tersely described the Rashford situation as an “internal matter” on multiple occasions in a pre-match interview.
It’s believed the club had sanctioned the forward’s trip to Belfast. They had thought, however, that he would be returning to Manchester on Thursday. Instead, Rashford stayed out partying in the Northern Ireland capital that night, and only made it back to England on Friday morning.
Ten Hag had granted his squad a mini-holiday, as the Premier League winter break ensured United did not play a game for two weeks. Their last match before the trip to Newport County was the crucial league game against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford fourteen days ago.
In this game, Rashford scored United’s second of the game. He then celebrated in a pointed manner, making a gesture with his hand intended to quell critics who had taken umbrage with Rashford’s support on social media towards Jadon Sancho.
Sancho has not played for United since a public dispute with Ten Hag over the winger’s attitude and discipline in training at the end of August. He re-joined Borussia Dortmund on loan earlier this month, with Rashford leaving a supportive post on Sancho’s Instagram page.
That the 26-year-old has then demonstrated an even worse example of attitude and discipline relating to training just two weeks after this emotive celebration is bizarre. The fact he thought it a good idea to go out the night before a key training session, after having been on holiday for nearly two weeks, is beyond comprehension.
It’s not the first time Rashford has fallen foul of Ten Hag’s standards during their together at Old Trafford.
In December 2022, the forward was dropped ahead of a crucial match against Wolverhampton Wanderers for being late to a team meeting. Earlier this season, Rashford was spotted on a night out hours after United had fallen to an abysmal 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at home. Ten Hag described this decision as “unacceptable”.
In light of this latest incident, the Dutchman revealed he would “deal with it” when asked about the matter yesterday. And he appears to be making good on this promise today.
The Sun reveal Rashford arrived at United’s training ground this morning, alongside his agent and brother Dwaine Maynard, for “showdown talks” with club officials, including Ten Hag.
It’s believed a two-week fine, worth some £650,000, will be issued. Whether this will include being excluded from the senior squad for the same two week period remains to be seen.
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