Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag defended his decision to bench Marcus Rashford for the team’s 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace, calling the reactions from commentators “crazy.”
Despite scoring three goals in his previous two matches, Rashford was left out in favor of a front line featuring Alejandro Garnacho, Joshua Zirkzee, and Amad Diallo. However, United struggled to convert their possession into goals, missing opportunities at Selhurst Park and allowing the hosts to secure a point despite underperforming.
Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp was among those who questioned Ten Hag’s choice to exclude Rashford, suggesting there might be underlying issues at play. “It feels like something has gone wrong,” Redknapp stated. “I don’t know the details, but you wouldn’t drop a player who scored twice midweek and against Southampton. I wouldn’t say he’s fully back, but he’s showing signs of the Rashford from two years ago. I’m uncertain what happened this week, but I sense the manager’s dissatisfaction. It’s unusual for a manager to criticize players’ lifestyles. Sir Alex Ferguson would never have done that, but Ten Hag has done so multiple times, which doesn’t always benefit the players.”
In response, Ten Hag quickly rebuked Redknapp and others who echoed his sentiments, asserting, “The speculation from such commentators is insane.”
