Erik ten Hag denies claims that Marcus Rashford was left out of the lineup for the draw against Crystal Palace.

In the wake of Manchester United’s frustrating 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace on Saturday, manager Erik ten Hag has firmly dismissed claims that Marcus Rashford was dropped from the squad. The England international has been a regular starter this season, featuring prominently in victories over Fulham and enduring defeats against Brighton and Liverpool.

Following speculation that Rashford’s absence from the starting XI was a disciplinary decision, Ten Hag was quick to clarify the situation, labelling the claims as “crazy.” Speaking to the press after the match, he stated, “I heard already speculation from some pundits. That is crazy. I would almost say that, as a person, you are not okay when you bring such speculation if you don’t know.”

The United boss explained that Rashford’s omission was simply a matter of squad rotation, a necessity given the demanding schedule of fixtures. “This is just rotation. We have many games to cover. We have more than a starting 11 of players. If the players perform, we will give them their chances. Finally, we will find out and the players who perform better will play more,” he added.

Ten Hag expressed his satisfaction with Rashford’s overall contributions, both defensively and offensively, insisting that the decision to bench him had nothing to do with his form. “I’m very happy with Marcus, with everything. With his defending part, offensive, he scores in this moment, he performs very good. So there is nothing to do with it that he was on the bench, just rotation,” he reiterated.

In Rashford’s absence, Ten Hag opted for Alejandro Garnacho to fill the left-sided role, while Joshua Zirkzee led the line, with Bruno Fernandes operating in a central position and Amad Diallo on the right. Despite the changes, United struggled to find their rhythm, marking their third consecutive game without a win this season.

“I have to say Amad is playing very good,” Ten Hag remarked. “Garnacho, in almost all the games so far apart from maybe Liverpool, has had end product. We have to play them as well.”

Looking ahead, Manchester United will shift their focus to European competition as they prepare to host FC Twente in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday. This match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+. Following that, they will welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford next Sunday, as they seek to turn their fortunes around in both domestic and European campaigns.