United View: Amorim slams Rashford

“If things do not change, I will not change.” Those were the words of Ruben Amorim regarding Marcus Rashford’s absence from his side following United’s 1-0 win away at Fulham, suggesting he would play his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach before a player who fails to give the maximum. Ouch.

Rashford has missed out on United’s previous 11 games, and all parties have been trying to finalise a move away from Old Trafford this January transfer window. A deal with AC Milan broke down, with only a loan to Barcelona looking like a potential option, however, this is tricky given the Catalan side’s financial situation.

Should a move not happen during the window, it would leave Amorim in a difficult predicament. With his side struggling for goals and attacking options, would he continue to leave out Rashford or bend his moral code to help boost the team’s goalscoring threat.

Given the strong words from the United manager, you would suggest not, but that doesn’t mean Rashford couldn’t work his way back into the side if a noticeable improvement is shown in his application in training and outside of football.

Alejandro Garnacho, who was also dropped in the same weekend as Rashford, has shown that there is a way back into the squad, starting in four of United’s last five games despite interest from Chelsea and Napoli. However, Garnacho is unlikely to be sold without the blessing of Amorim.

It’s alarming that one of United’s top earners is being called out for a lack of professionalism, but Rashford isn’t the only one on big money struggling to find minutes. Of the reported top ten biggest earners at the club, only Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez regularly feature under Ruben Amorim.

The likes of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelof, Antony and Mason Mount have for various reasons been underutilised under the new head coach. And with the club unable to offload many of these players, United are unable to bring in new players.

Paying big money for players is to be expected in the Premier League, especially if you want to compete for titles. United’s issue is that they have repeatedly overspent on and overpay players who fail to meet expectations. This could likely change should people be moved on, but that isn’t going to happen until the summer transfer window at a minimum.

As things stand, United fans will have to hope that things can improve somewhat this season with the current squad. Wins like the one against Fulham on Sunday, will certainly help, even if the race for top four looks like a pipe dream.

That win, coming via a deflected effort from Lisandro Martinez, saw United move up to the dizzying heights of 12th, four points adrift of the top half of the table. While defensively solid this game, the Reds were again lacking teeth up top. Fortunately, they were still able to come away with three points.

United still have the FA Cup and Europa League to compete in, which may just keep the season alive, given how woeful things have been in the Premier League. A trip to Bucharest awaits on Thursday, with Amorim’s side needing a win against FCSB to avoid a knock-out round in the Europa League.

Winning the Europa League could be the best option for United to qualify for the Champions League next season, something the club needs to start doing to build revenue. Which is easier said than done, given the club’s failings in the competition in recent years.