Ruben Amorim defended his decision to omit Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United's squad for the derby against Manchester City, clarifying there were no disciplinary issues. Amorim emphasized the importance of training performance and maintaining high standards at Old Trafford as competition for places intensifies.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim defended his decision to omit Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the squad for Sunday’s Manchester derby, despite the surprise absence of the two forwards. The pair had featured in Thursday’s 2-1 Europa League victory against Viktoria Plzen, with Rashford playing 56 minutes and Garnacho coming on as a substitute. However, neither was included in the 20-man squad for the Manchester City match, sparking questions about their exclusion.
Amorim clarified that the decision was not related to any disciplinary issues, emphasizing that his choices were based on performance in training and games. "Next week, new life," Amorim said, indicating that competition for places remains fierce in the squad. He pointed out that all aspects of a player’s behavior, from training performance to engagement with teammates, are critical as he aims to raise the standards at Old Trafford.
Reflecting on the victory, Amorim noted that it was a collective effort, with the team proving they could secure a win without any player being guaranteed a spot in the squad. He also addressed rumors about leaks within the team but chose not to dwell on the issue, suggesting that it was difficult to pinpoint the source of such information in modern football. The manager remains focused on improving his squad's performance and maintaining high standards as they move forward.
