Manchester United's Marcus Rashford has found himself in the midst of controversy once again, as manager Erik ten Hag expresses his frustration and vows to 'deal with' the England forward. This comes in light of confusion surrounding Rashford's night out in Belfast last week.
Rashford was noticeably absent from the United squad during their 4-2 FA Cup win over Newport County on Sunday. The 26-year-old claimed to be ill and, as a result, couldn't participate in team training on Friday and Saturday. Surprisingly, however, he was well enough to train at Carrington on Sunday.
Reports have emerged that Rashford visited a nightclub in Belfast on Wednesday, ahead of a scheduled day off on Thursday. However, additional rumors circulate that he was also out on Thursday night, just hours before he was due to report for training in Manchester.
Erik ten Hag has remained tight-lipped regarding Rashford's absence from the Newport County fixture, refusing to address whether it was a disciplinary decision. After the match, the manager simply stated that the incident is being treated as 'an internal matter' and that he will handle it accordingly.
This is not the first time that Erik ten Hag has expressed his frustration with Rashford's behavior. In November, the forward faced criticism from his manager for hosting a birthday party in Manchester following a 3-0 defeat against Manchester City. Ten Hag deemed this behavior as 'unacceptable.'
Furthermore, Rashford was dropped from a game against Wolves last season for arriving late to a team meeting. Despite his impressive 30-goal performance last season, he has struggled to find form this year, scoring only four goals in 26 appearances.
Following an underwhelming performance against Newcastle in December, Rashford was benched by Ten Hag for subsequent matches against Chelsea and Bournemouth.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how Marcus Rashford's actions will impact his future at Manchester United and his standing within the team. Supporters and critics alike await further updates regarding the internal matter between Rashford and Erik ten Hag.
