Erik ten Hag has Marcus Rashford 'frustration' after dropping Man Utd star to bench
Jamie Redknapp has suggested that Erik ten Hag's decision to drop Marcus Rashford from the starting line-up for Manchester United's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace may be due to a growing frustration with the forward.
Rashford was left on the bench for the Saturday evening fixture, a move which Ten Hag described as "not a difficult decision". United drew the game at Selhurst Park 0-0 with Rashford appearing as a second-half substitute.
However, speaking on Sky Sports, Redknapp questioned whether it is wise for managers to publicly penalize players for their lifestyle choices. Rashford was previously dropped last season following an unauthorized trip to a Belfast nightclub, but has shown promising form in recent games, netting goals in his last two appearances.
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Redknapp expressed his concern, saying: "It feels like something has gone untoward," and added, "I don't know the details. But you don't drop a player that has scored two in midweek and against Southampton.
"I'd be nervous to say he is back but he is showing signs of the Rashford from two years ago. It feels like something's happened maybe this week, I don't know the manager's frustration. It is unusual for a manager to out players for their lifestyle."
The former Liverpool midfielder also compared Ten Hag's management style to that of legendary United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, stating: "Sir Alex Ferguson would have never done it, whereas Ten Hag has done it on a few occasions. It is not always beneficial to the players."
Rashford had a challenging season last year, culminating in him being omitted from Gareth Southgate's England squad for the European Championships in Germany.
Redknapp voiced his concerns about Rashford's form, suggesting lifestyle choices may be a factor. "Something hasn't been right with Marcus. I don't know how he lives his lifestyle but the manager's obviously alluded to it not being in the right way.
"Now, this guy is a player, but you can't put diesel in a Ferrari engine. You can't. If you want to play right, you've got to be at it at all times, especially at a club when you're under the scrutiny like Manchester United.
"There's no doubt in his talent, but when the manager talks about you're not professional, you can't have that. That's not acceptable for a player these days. Not when you're dealing with some of the foreign players that come in and live their lives right every single day.
"So there's obviously something that's happened in Ten Hag's defense, but for Marcus Rashford to have that labelled against him it's not ideal for him either."