“How can you take off you best player at first half? He was never injured. Erik ten Hag need to be sacked”-Fans baffled and fumes as Erik ten Hag explains why Marcus Rashford was taken off at half-time against FC Porto.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag recently explained why he substituted Marcus Rashford at half-time during Thursday’s Europa League match against FC Porto. Rashford, who has been battling inconsistent form, got United off to a strong start by scoring early with a stunning display of wing play. He continued to trouble Porto’s right-back, Joao Mario, and even provided an assist for Rasmus Hojlund’s goal, making it 2-0.
Despite Rashford’s impressive performance, Ten Hag made the unexpected decision to replace him with Alejandro Garnacho at the break, leading to speculation that Rashford might have been injured. However, the Dutch manager clarified his choice in a post-match interview, stating it was part of a pre-planned rotation strategy.
“We needed to rotate,” Ten Hag explained to TNT Sports. “We wanted Garnacho to play. With a quick turnaround to the [Aston] Villa game, we needed fresh players on the pitch for Sunday.”
When pressed on whether Rashford could have stayed on longer, Ten Hag emphasized, “We have to play Garnacho. Villa have an extra day of rest, and we’re playing away, so fresh legs are key.”
Fans were left bewildered by the substitution, especially considering Rashford’s form. Social media reactions poured in, with many supporters questioning the decision.
One fan expressed their shock, tweeting: “Rashford was the most dangerous player on the field. Porto couldn’t handle him, and Ten Hag took him off because of rotation? Unbelievable!”
Another fan added: “I assumed Rashford was injured, but no, it’s rotation! He was our best player in that first half. This doesn’t make any sense.”
A third supporter was equally surprised: “WOW! Ten Hag said it was just rotation, not an injury. Rashford was by far our most effective player in that first half. Insane decision.”
Another commented: “Ten Hag subbed Rashford for Sunday’s match against Villa. He was our only attacking threat. That’s a joke.”
A final tweet read: “Hearing Ten Hag took off Rashford, our best player, at half-time for ‘rotation’ is unbelievable. No wonder Rashford struggles with this. That’s the last straw for me.”
