Erik ten Hag vs Marcus Rashford: Bizarre substitutions, disciplinary issues and Gary Neville worry

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is now immersed in yet another difficult phase at Old Trafford, amid a problematic relationship with under-fire manager Erik ten Hag.

Erik ten Hag is dealing with a massive Marcus Rashford headache, but he’s exacerbating the situation.

The Manchester United youth graduate has excelled in the Red Devils’ first squad since making his debut in 2016. He has made almost 400 appearances for the club and scored 135 goals.

However, Rashford has not always had it easy under the heavy Old Trafford limelight. He has struggled with his form and lost his England position as a result of poor performances.

His relationship with under-fire boss Ten Hag has also been the subject of criticism, with the Dutchman making a number of perplexing moves. Another one came against Porto on Thursday night. Take a look at what has transpired between the two since Ten Hag’s debut to the club Rollercoaster first season.

After scoring only five goals the season before Ten Hag took over at Old Trafford, the Dutchman was under pressure to get the best out of his striker. The first thing he needed to tackle was determining Rashford’s optimal position.

After playing him both centrally and on the left throughout the preseason, Ten Hag determined that a combination of the two would be ideal for him. In 2022, he stated: ”He can play there since he can stretch across all three positions and score goals in each [of them].””The best position for [Marcus] Rashford is at nine or coming in from the left.”

That decision proved to pay immediate rewards during the 2022/23 season. That season, he scored 30 goals in all competitions, breaking the club’s record of 100 goals.As a result, Rashford was voted the team’s Player of the Year. However, there were early indications of conflict between the forward and his management.

He was dropped for a game against Wolves in December after oversleeping and skipping a squad meeting. At the time, he stated, “I was a little late for a meeting; I overslept.”

“It’s the team regulations, and it’s a mistake that may happen, but I’m sorry not to participate; nonetheless, I respect the decision, and I’m glad we won the game anyway. I believe we can put a line under it and go on.

Rashford, on the other hand, redeemed himself by scoring the game-winning goal, and he had no additional problems during the season.

Difficult times for Rashford.

Following his excellent season, the Red Devils made the wise decision to tie him down. Amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Rashford signed a lucrative new contract that runs until 2028 and allegedly pays approximately £325k per week.

However, the deal appeared to have the opposite effect anticipated, as the striker’s form dipped. He only scored eight goals throughout the campaign, and his performance cost him a spot in England’s Euros team.

Many were concerned about more than simply his demonstrations. Following a 3-0 loss to arch rivals Manchester City, he was seen at a birthday celebration. Ten Hag stated at the time: “I am aware of it [the party], and I discussed it with him. It is intolerable. I informed him, and he apologised. That was all. For us, it’s an internal issue.”

He was subsequently benched for the subsequent League Cup loss at Newcastle. Ten Hag believed Rashford was determined to make atonement, but things did not improve much.Only a few days later, he was controversially dismissed in a chaotic Champions League defeat to Copenhagen. Rashford made another mistake in January, missing training before of an FA Cup victory against Newport.

He had phoned in ill but was later found out in Northern Ireland. Gary Neville voiced worry about the forward.

“I would say go out and have your moment where you relax with your friends, but the timing has to be right,” the former Red Devils defender remarked. “Marcus knows; he’s an experienced player now. We’re not talking about a young guy, but he’s done it a few times in recent months.

“I’ve always regarded Marcus as being very responsible, a decent professional, and someone who works really hard every day. I know he’s having a dip in form right now, but it’s occurred twice before, and it can sometimes become your personality if you’re not cautious.

“He just needs to relax, calm down, choose when to go out and get back to playing football at the levels we know he can.”

Strange snubs

Rashford would have been eager to make a mark following a disappointing 2023-24 season, but the season has had a rough start. The 26-year-old started the first four league games of the season, and scored his first goal in a 3-0 victory over Southampton.

However, he soon found himself on the bench against Crystal Palace. Jamie Redknapp hinted at something happening behind the scenes, which elicited a strong reaction from Ten Hag.

In a news conference, he stated, “I’ve already heard speculation from some pundits.” That’s insane. I would almost suggest that, as a human, you are not okay bringing up such supposition if you don’t know.”

He then said, “I didn’t understand the criticism. People have the right to speculate if they so choose, but they have no right to bring it up. If I explain, people must believe my statements. If they don’t, that’s wrong.

Rashford quickly reclaimed his position in the side, but Ten Hag was left with even more questions following this week’s poor stalemate with Porto. Despite scoring, Rashford was replaced at halftime.

Since then, there has been growing worry that something has happened behind the scenes. Former United player Paul Scholes stated, “I believed he had turned a corner. I thought it was a weird choice to keep him out of the Palace game.

“When a lad has been struggling for confidence for so long and then scores, two in one game and one in another, and then is simply left out, just when you think he’s regained his spark, you have to wonder if Marcus has been behaving properly or if the manager has made a major mistake. Just when you think he’s back on track, his confidence drops again, and you’re back at square one.”

It remains to be seen if Rashford will be recalled to the squad this weekend. The Red Devils face Aston Villa in what appears to be a vital game for Ten Hag. By returning Rashford to the side, he may be doing himself a favor and reducing his headache.