Ruben Amorim, in a striking press conference, revealed the real reason behind Marcus Rashford’s omission from the Manchester derby squad.
Manchester United stunned their city rivals Manchester City with a dramatic 2-1 victory in the Premier League, but much of the attention was on manager Ruben Amorim’s bold decision to leave star winger Marcus Rashford out of the squad. Alejandro Garnacho was also omitted, raising questions about the reasoning behind these exclusions.
City struck first with Josko Gvardiol’s opener, but United rallied late, thanks to Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo, to secure the win. After the match, Amorim addressed the controversy surrounding his decisions, offering clarity and shutting down speculation about disciplinary issues. He emphasized that his choices were based on a combination of factors, including training performance and off-field conduct.
“It’s important to clarify: it was not a disciplinary matter,” Amorim explained in the post-match press conference. “Next week, next game, new life—they are fighting for their places. If it was disciplinary, I would say so, and it would be a bigger problem, but it’s not. For me, it’s about everything: performance in training, performance in games, the way you dress, the way you eat, how you engage with teammates, how you push your teammates—all of it matters.”
The manager also highlighted the need for high standards across the club, pointing to the importance of professionalism and accountability. With staff members losing jobs due to underperformance, Amorim stressed the significance of setting an example and maintaining consistency. He stated that anyone could be left out of the team if they did not meet the required standards, regardless of their status.
