In Manchester United’s recent 3-3 draw with Porto, Marcus Rashford found himself at the centre of attention after being substituted at halftime, despite playing a key role in the first half.
Marcus Rashford had put in an excellent performance, scoring past Diogo Costa after 7 minutes before setting up Rasmus Hojlund for a second.
Rashford was back to his brilliant best, driving at defenders from the left and committing sometimes even 3 men before beating them and getting a shot away.
When Erik ten Hag pulled him off, many fans assumed it was due to injury.
However, the manager later revealed that the substitution was simply rotation.
Erik ten Hag said “We have to rotate” when speaking to TNT Sports, sparking debate as to why he was taken off.
Rio Ferdinand was also confused by this substitution, mentioning although he could have done better for the 2nd Porto goal, he was lively and direct all game.
This isn’t the first time Rashford has been dropped after a strong showing.
After scoring 3 goals in 2 games against Barnsley and Southampton earlier in the season, Rashford was then dropped for the next fixture.
This shocked many United fans as Rashford is widely considered Manchester United most clinical forward when fit and firing.
So why did Erik ten Hag drop Marcus Rashford when it looked like he had just come back to form and why did he repeat this mistake yesterday?
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Tactical
Firstly, could Rashford’s substitution have been purely tactical from Erik ten Hag.
Marcus Rashford’s work rate can at times be poor, he struggles to consistently track back and provide defensive cover.
Throughout the first half against Porto, Rashford often left Lisandro Martinez exposed.
With Diogo Dalot inverting into midfield from left back, Martinez was forced to deal with Porto’s attackers without adequate support on the left flank.
Martinez struggles with defending 1v1 and big spaces and the lack of help was exposing him to these two weaknesses.
Rashford’s attacking contributions were undeniable, but his lack of defensive discipline may have frustrated ten Hag, prompting the manager to bring on Garnacho.
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Disagreement?
Whilst ten Hag has insisted that the decision was part of his rotation strategy, this isn’t the first time Rashford has been taken off unexpectedly.
The forward was similarly dropped after scoring three goals in consecutive games against Southampton and Barnsley.
This pattern raises the possibility that something else might be at play, such as a disagreement between Rashford and ten Hag.
Erik ten Hag already has a history of falling out with United players.
Falling out with Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho already in his time at the club.
Freezing Jadon Sancho out of the club in particular shows that ten Hag is not afraid to go public with his player disagreements and would not have been afraid to punish Rashford by substituting him.
It seems illogical to substitute one of United’s most important players when he’s contributing both goals and assists.
Could there be a rift between player and manager?
The repeated nature of these decisions has led some to speculate that their relationship may not be as smooth as it seems.
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Alejandro Garnacho?
Alejandro Garnacho’s introduction in place of Marcus Rashford raised some eyebrows, but the young Argentine’s excellent form this season has been hard to overlook.
Garnacho has impressed with his explosive dribbling, pace, and defensive commitment, which Rashford has sometimes been criticized for neglecting.
His ability to track back and help defensively, especially with Diogo Dalot inverting into midfield, made him a valuable option for ten Hag.
Garnacho’s energy and work rate were seen as key by ten Hag as United looked to maintain balance in both attack and defense.
However, many were puzzled as to why Rashford, not Amad Diallo, was taken off.
Diallo had a relatively quiet first half, struggling to impose himself on the right wing.
Substituting Amad Diallo might have allowed both Rashford and Garnacho to remain on the pitch, maintaining an attacking threat.
That being said, the substitution could also have been pre-planned, with ten Hag managing Rashford’s minutes carefully given his recent uptick in form and the upcoming match against Aston Villa.
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