Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag justified his choice to leave Marcus Rashford on the bench during the recent match against Crystal Palace, which ended in a 0-0 draw. Rashford entered the game in the 61st minute at Selhurst Park. In the first half, Alejandro Garnacho, who started in Rashford’s place, struck the crossbar shortly before Bruno Fernandes did the same.
After halftime, Palace fought back, bolstered by a strong performance from goalkeeper Dean Henderson against his former team. Ten Hag remarked that there is excessive speculation surrounding the decision, emphasizing that it’s inappropriate to discuss matters without full context.
He stressed the importance of utilizing the entire squad due to the number of matches, stating that players will get opportunities based on their performance. Ten Hag expressed his satisfaction with Rashford’s contributions, noting that the benching was not reflective of his abilities but simply a rotation decision.
In the first half, United dominated, with Palace managing only one shot on target from Ebere Eze just before the break. In the second half, Henderson made a crucial save against Garnacho, while United’s Andre Onana also had standout moments, denying both Eddie Nketiah and Ismaila Sarr.
Despite the lack of goals, Ten Hag pointed out that his team lacked strength and precision in the box. He acknowledged the strong performances of other players like Amad Diallo and Garnacho, who have been effective in earlier matches.
Palace, seeking their first win of the season, had drawn three consecutive games after previous losses. Manager Oliver Glasner urged his players to be tougher in the second half, leading to a more aggressive approach that improved their performance.
