Manchester United is convinced a network of people is behind the club's team news leaks before kick-off, according to our sister title, The Manchester Evening News.

The paper published United's leaked XI against Manchester City 20 hours before kick off on Saturday evening and reported that Marcus Rashford had been omitted from the matchday squad.

His omission from the squad has reignited rumours that he is on his way after he accepted that a fresh challenge lies ahead for him. Aston Villa are one of the teams credited with an interest. It was the talk of the weekend and something that has worried the United boss, Ruben Amorim.

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Reds correspondent for the MEN, Samuel Luckhurst writes;

"United team news and line-ups have leaked sporadically for several years yet the earliness of the derby XI and the significance of the match made the matter more topical.

"Club sources branded speculation that Alejandro Garnacho and his brother, Roberto, were behind the leaks as "rubbish". Despite reports claiming that Amad was questioned, he has not leaked any team news.

"The club believe the leaks are not down to one or two players but that a network of people with varying motivations and incentives have obtained separate pieces of information and are responsible.

"United denied that they had conducted an investigation on the back of the leaked team for the Manchester derby.

"The United head coach Ruben Amorim was asked about his team entering the public domain after United beat City 2-1 at the Etihad. "I know that story," Amorim said. "I think it is impossible to fix, because you have a lot of people in the club, the players talk with agents, you can talk with friends, it's hard to know, it is not a good thing."

"But let's move on and go to the next one and I see if they find the next starting XI!"

Amorim has declared that his side are 'better with Marcus Rashford' and he refused to close the door on the striker's Old Trafford future, despite Rashford himself admitting publicly that he's open to a new challenge. England international Rashford has been linked with a surprise move to Aston Villa in the January transfer window.

Suggestions that he could leave boyhood club United in January only intensified after new Red Devils boss Amorim left him, and Alejandro Garnacho, out of the squad to take on rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Rashford is on a significant salary, believed to be north of £350,000 a week, and such figures could provide a hurdle that interested clubs would have to clear.

Rashford was linked with a move to Villa, who are currently a number of positions in the Premier League table above United, earlier this season and by his own admission he is open to making the switch to a fresh environment but Amorim is open to keeping the forward in his squad - although the Portuguese is yet to speak face to face with the player about his future.

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“I think he’s right, we have here a new challenge, a tough one, for me the biggest in football. We are in a difficult situation and this is one of the biggest clubs in the world, so this is a new challenge, a big one," Amorim said ahead of the EFL Cup quarter final game at Tottenham on Thursday.

“I’ve had not spoken to him yet. Yesterday was a day off for the lads. He’s our player and ready for the next game. I spoke with a lot of players individually during training sessions. What I want is to take the best Marcus Rashford. I don’t talk about the future, just the present.

“I want the best for all of them, to win and to help the team. We are better with Marcus and will try things to push him to the levels he has been at in the past. Of course, we would be happy (for him to stay) - this sort of club needs a big talent and he’s a big talent. He needs to perform at the highest level.

“The others focus on their job. I was a player, we are a bit selfish, and they are focused on winning their place in the team. so I don’t think he has an impact on the team. It’s the same situation as with all the others, if they train well then I have to make a choice and we will see. Of course I expect the best of each players every day. This is in the future, my focus is to have all the players the best they can be. We are talking if, if, if.”