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Ruben Amorim has aimed an astonishing dig at Marcus Rashford, saying he would rather play his 63-year-old goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital than the unsettled England’s Manchester United football star.
Rashford hasn’t appeared for the last 11 games amid uncertainty over his future at Old Trafford as talks continue over a loan move to Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona.
Amorim axed Rashford from his squad for the Manchester derby last month over his attitude in training, and the United boss confirmed that is still the reason for the 27-year-old’s absence
‘It’s always the same reason,’ said Amorim after United’s 1-0 win at Fulham.
‘The reason is the training. The way I see what a footballer should do in training, in life, every day. If things don’t change, I will not change.
‘You can see it today on the bench. We needed a little bit of pace to change the game to move some pieces, but I prefer it like that. I will put Vital on before I put a player that doesn’t give the maximum. I will not change in that department.’
Asked if the situation will change if Rashford is still at United after deadline day next week, Amorim added: ‘It’s the same situation for every player. If you do the maximum, if you do the right things, we can use every player.’
Amorim’s words may pressure Rashford to do what he can to get away from his home-town club before the January transfer window closes – lest he find himself outcasted for the rest of the season.
Rashford revealed during a bombshell interview in December that he was ‘ready for a new challenge’ away from his boyhood club after nine years in the first team.
Amorim insists he does not know if the forward will leave in January and Mail Sport understands that the players’ £315,000-a-week wages are proving to be a stumbling block in negotiations with the likes of Barcelona and Dortmund.
The Portuguese’s hard-line stance comes with his United side continuing to struggle to score goals.
Strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have managed just one goal between them since the beginning of December.
Denmark striker Hojlund was given the nod to start against Fulham but failed to impress and was taken off after 58 painful minutes.
Man United legend Rio Ferdinand delivered the withering assessment during his punditry for TNT Sports that Hojlund’s ‘slack’ play was stifling his side’s play.
In the end, United were indebted to a deflected strike from defender Lisandro Martinez to get over the line with a 1-0 victory. (www.dailymail.co.uk)
Online Reporter