Manchester United stumbled to victory past Fulham on Sunday night without Marcus Rashford and coach Ruben Amorim has brutally said he would rather put his 63-year-old goalkeeper coach on the bench.
Rashford is training with United despite being very vocal and proactive about wanting to leave the club, with West Ham the latest to be linked with a move.
Asked once again why Rashford was not on the bench when there was a lack of pace – Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelof and Casemiro were the only outfield unused subs – Amorim was brutal in his answer.
“It’s always the same reason,” Amorim replied. “The reason is the training, the way I see what a footballer should do. In training, in life and it’s every day, every detail. So if things don’t change, I will not change.
“It’s the same situation for every player,” Amorim said. “If you do the maximum, if you do the right things…we can use every player. You can see it today on the bench – we miss a little bit of pace to go, to change the game, to move some pieces, but I prefer [it] like that. I will put Vital [on the bench] before I put a player that doesn’t give the maximum every day so I will not change in that.”
Rashford is still the third top scorer in the Premier League for United this season behind Amad Diallo (who had a goal ruled out for offside in this poor win) and Bruno Fernandes, with Joshua Zirkzee on just three goals and Rasmus Hojlund on two.
“You need sometimes a little bit of luck, and we had some games that we lost, and in the end nobody cares because the result [is what] counts.
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“I remember some chances that we miss, for example against Nottingham [Forest], Bournemouth, some goals in the first minute of the game that change the game. So, today I can see it that we have a lot to improve. We didn’t play so well with the ball but we gave time to the team and when you do have time with talented players, they can show in one play and they can change the game and today it was that situation.
“Again, we controlled the ball, we understand the momentum, when to go a little bit slow to the throw-in, when to take a little bit of time, when you have to return to play with the central defenders.
“These kinds of details are really important to give us time to have these kinds of moments from Bruno, from Garna, from Amad. They will find a chance. So we need to give time for our team to find a way to win the game.
“It’s a little bit lucky because the kick changed direction but we had some situations in the last games that was the opposite, so it was a good day today.”
