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Marcus Rashford’s final season for Manchester United was underwhelming to say the least.
A recent article by The Athletic sheds light on what went wrong.
Concerns about Rashford’s off-field behavior emerged after he was seen partying late in Belfast on two occasions.
He then missed training on Friday due to illness and subsequently missed the FA Cup game against Newport County.
In response, manager Erik ten Hag fined Rashford two weeks’ wages, although the process was delayed.
During this period, Sir Dave Brailsford addressed the team at Carrington, introducing the INEOS strategy to raise standards at the club.
Brailsford’s speech appeared to resonate with Rashford, who requested a one-on-one meeting with him.
The discussion lasted 90 minutes, after which Rashford seemed rejuvenated.
Although he initially turned down Rashford’s request to play against Newport, Ten Hag reinstated him for the match against Wolves, where Rashford scored the opening goal in United’s 4-3 win.
Brailsford’s initiative involved private meetings with each member of the team to understand the dynamics of the club, avoiding any focus on Ten Haag.
However, sources reveal that Rashford has issues with Ten Hag’s management style.
Their relationship, initially strong during a productive first season, became strained.
Rashford prefers concise instructions from coaches, a method used by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, which allowed him to excel at crossing from the left.
The arrival of Rasmus Hoylund, who favors an inside left channel, has pushed Rashford wider, away from his preferred areas.
In an effort to manage the intense online scrutiny and abuse, Rashford hired Caroline McAteer, a PR professional who also works with Ronaldo, Sancho and Varane.
The move caused tension at United due to the players’ challenging relationship with Ten Hague.
United fans will be hoping that the England forward can repeat his 2022-23 form next season.
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