After Manchester United’s win over Newport on Sunday, Erik ten Hag found himself fielding a series of challenging questions regarding Marcus Rashford’s nightclub visit.
Despite Ten Hag stating before the game that Rashford’s absence from the 4-2 FA Cup victory over the League Two side was due to an ‘internal issue’ that he would handle, the 26-year-old forward was not part of the matchday squad.
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Initially reported as missing Friday’s training session due to illness, Rashford was later spotted at a nightclub in Belfast on Thursday evening.
United maintained on Sunday, ahead of their FA Cup fourth-round clash with Newport, that Rashford’s exclusion was solely due to ‘illness.’
Pressed about Rashford’s absence after United’s 4-2 victory at Rodney Parade, Ten Hag said in his post-match press conference: ‘In what sense? He reported ill, for the rest it’s an internal matter, I deal with it. As I said, it’s an internal matter.
‘For you [it raises more questions than answers], but not for me. It’s an internal matter, I will deal with it.’
Quizzed if Rashford’s actions were indicative of the ‘no-good culture’ Ten Hag inherited, he added: ‘I don’t go in this case, I’ve talked before about it.
‘I think we played a good game and now we move on. We will deal with it, I will deal with it.’
Asked if it would be unacceptable for Rashford to have lied to him, Ten Hag said: ‘Maybe more questions about the game.’
It is not the first time Rashford’s discipline has come into question under Ten Hag with the United manager forced to drop his player last season after he reported late to a team meeting.
