Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim issued a scathing critique of Marcus Rashford’s attitude following the team’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham on Sunday, declaring he’d rather field 63-year-old goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital than the out-of-favor England forward.
Rashford, who has now been sidelined for 11 consecutive matches, has become a controversial figure under Amorim, who has refused to restore him to the starting lineup.
Despite the team’s struggles for goals—Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee have managed just one goal between them since December—Amorim remains steadfast in his decision, citing Rashford’s lack of commitment.
“I Will Not Change”
Amorim did not mince words when asked about Rashford’s exclusion:
“It’s the same, it’s always the same reason,” he said. “The reason is the training, the way I see what footballers should do in training, in life—it’s every day, every detail.
“If things don’t change, I will not change. It’s the same situation for every player. If you do the maximum, if you do the right things, we can use every player.
“But I prefer it like that. I will put Vital on before I put a player on that doesn’t give the maximum every day. So I will not change in that department.”
Rashford had hinted last month that he was seeking a “new challenge” after being dropped for the Manchester derby defeat on December 15.
However, the 27-year-old has yet to secure a move during the ongoing January transfer window, leaving his future at Old Trafford in limbo.
Amorim Feeling the Pressure
Amorim, who turned 40 on Monday (today) spoke on the intense scrutiny that comes with managing Manchester United.
After the victory at Fulham, the Portuguese coach quipped that his short tenure had already aged him.
“It’s not 40 … I’m 50!” he joked. “After two months at Manchester United, it’s 50. It’s a privilege to spend my 40th birthday here. That feeling of winning and three points is really important for us.
“You cannot see a great improvement in the team, and that is a fact, but to win helps us to improve. We’ve had some lack of luck in some games.
“Today was not the best match, but we managed to win.
“The important thing is I have a clear idea of what I want to do. Sometimes I’m frustrated.”
“We want to play a different style, and we are going to play a different style in the future.”
A Lucky Victory
United’s solitary goal at Craven Cottage came via a fortuitous deflection from Lisandro Martínez’s long-range strike in the 78th minute, which looped over Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
Fulham manager Marco Silva was unimpressed, calling United’s performance “lucky.”
“One shot on target from Man United —a lucky deflection. We were the team that dominated more,” Silva said.
“We had two or three good moments to score, but I don’t remember one dangerous moment from Man Utd.”
Martínez, speaking after the match, admitted the goal was fortunate but emphasized its importance:
“I think I was lucky, but an important win. I am happy with the way we won the game. It doesn’t matter who scores—the most important is the three points.”
“It means a lot. Not only to the fans, but for us because we have suffered a lot. It is a hard win.”
“At this club, the pressure is hard, but we are here. Even a game like today we have to win and be humble after winning.”
The Fallout
The victory moved United into 12th place in the Premier League, four points behind Fulham in 10th. However, Amorim’s pointed remarks about Rashford have overshadowed the result.
With no signs of reconciliation and the January transfer window ticking away, questions remain about whether Rashford’s time at Old Trafford is nearing an acrimonious end.
