Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been told he has another unhappy player on his hands at Old Trafford as they try to rectify a poor start to the campaign.
Manchester United's form under Erik ten Hag…
Undoubtedly, the Red Devils have been embroiled in a rollercoaster ride so far this term that has included its fair share of issues on and off the field at Old Trafford. Jadon Sancho, Antony and much-maligned loanee Mason Greenwood all hit the headlines away from the field earlier in the season as Ten Hag continues to battle with a current of chaos in the North West.
Manchester United have lost five out of their opening 12 Premier League matches and also sit bottom in Champions League Group A with three defeats from their first four fixtures. Nevertheless, the Red Devils have started to build some stable form in the Premier League and surprisingly find themselves as the most in-form team in the division over their last five games, taking 12 points from a possible 15.
Stability is a feature that has long been missed at Old Trafford since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, and their rocky status continues to persist behind the scenes at ownership level; however, Sir Jim Ratcliffe finally looks poised to complete a deal to lay claim to 25% of the Red Devils.
Despite not being an exact science, an unstable culture and club environment can lead to players losing confidence and form, something which can also be multiplied by outside criticism from media circles.
In light of this, one Manchester United star has come under fire for his start to proceedings this term from a Premier League legend, who believes that the man in question may not be entirely content at Old Trafford.
Alan Shearer says Marcus Rashford is unhappy at Man Utd
In conversation with Premier League productions, cited via The Mirror, pundit Alan Shearer has indicated that Manchester United star Marcus Rashford may be "unhappy" at Old Trafford amid an inconsistent start to the season for the England international.
Marcus Rashford's statistics 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)
Appearances
15
Goals
1
Assists
3
Newcastle United icon Shearer told the outlet when asked about Rashford's recent form: "I think the simple answer is we don’t know because we’re not within the football club. But what we’re looking at is someone who clearly looks very unhappy. He looks moody, and when that’s the case, you’re never going to perform at your best.
"Whether he feels he’s better than what’s at Old Trafford at this moment in time, I don’t know. Whether he feels let down by recruitment because he went to another level in terms of his goals last year. The club haven’t gone to it this season which maybe he wanted or expected to. You’re not seeing a happy footballer; you’re not seeing a happy person at this moment in time in Marcus Rashford. He looks a different player for England than he does for Manchester United."
Scrutiny over performances is always going to be a key feature of playing for a club with vast expectations such as Manchester United. However, Rashford will be keen to show the English public that criticism surrounding his displays has been overstated. Over the next couple of weeks, he will form part of the Three Lions squad for their EURO 2024 qualifying double-header against Malta and North Macedonia.
