Ex-Man Utd star admits questions will be asked about Marcus Rashford and Erik ten Hag

Marcus Rashford started Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against FC Twente, while Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo started the last league game against Crystal Palace – raising fears he could be dropped against Tottenham

Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown says questions could soon be asked of Erik ten Hag if Marcus Rashford is dropped for a string of Premier League games.

Rashford started the team’s 1-1 draw against FC Twente in the Europa League on Wednesday night but is in danger of losing his place in the side after being benched for United’s 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace – despite netting three goals in two games prior.

That came after starting the 7-0 win over Barnsley before being picked to play from the off against Twente, with Alejandro Garnacho rested.

Amad Diallo and Garnacho both started on the wing in the draw against Palace – and with Rashford starting another in cup competition, Brown fears it might mean he will be dropped again for their next Premier League game against Tottenham.

He told Instant Casino: “I go to most of the United games, and I thought Marcus Rashford might’ve been rested against Barnsley, but he wasn’t, and then he was rested at the weekend against Crystal Palace. It’s just the way it goes – Garnacho and Diallo have been impressive so far so it’s difficult to drop them.”

‌Rashford got his confidence back after netting his first goal since March in the 3-0 win over Southampton earlier this month before netting a brace in the following game against Barnsley.

The 26-year-old had a difficult time in the last campaign, scoring just seven times in all competitions and failing to show consistency as he missed out on England’s Euro 2024 squad as a result.

With Rashford now in much better form, Brown – who played 362 times for the Red Devils between 1997 and 2011 – says questions could be soon asked of both Rashford and Ten Hag if the player continues to be left out of multiple games in a row.

He added he would have been “disappointed” to not start the Crystal Palace game but tipped him to up his training levels to prove Ten Hag wrong.

“Rashford would have wanted to play but it’s good to have competition – it’ll push him to get back on that scoring streak,” he added. “I’m sure he’ll be starting the next game, but if he misses three or four in a row, then you can start asking some questions.

“I would have been disappointed if I were him, though – I’m sure he’ll be stepping it up in training now.”

United were disappointed against Twente in their Europa League opener as Christian Eriksen’s opener was cancelled out by Sam Lammers. The Red Devils will hope to bounce back at home to Spurs this weekend.

Erik ten Hag told he’s still facing sack and advised to sell ‘unreliable’ Man Utd star

Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United suffered more frustration on Wednesday night as they dropped points at home to Twente in the Europa League to increase pressure on their manager

Manchester United’s next slump under Erik ten Hag could spell the end for the manager, pundit Mark Lawrenson claims.

United finished eighth in the Premier League last season under Ten Hag, leaving the Dutchman’s position under threat. However, victory in the FA Cup final secured European qualification and helped earn him a stay of execution.

The summer transfer window was United’s first under new ownership, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe taking charge of football affairs. Ten Hag was backed in the transfer market, with around £200m spent on new signings, but there’s still work to do on the pitch.

Ten Hag’s team have seven points from their first five league games, drawing with Crystal Palace in their most recent outing. Their Europa League campaign began on Wednesday against their manager’s former employers FC Twente, but early dominance wasn’t converted to victory as Sam Lammers rescued a point for the Dutch side.

“I think the treatment of Erik ten Hag over the summer wasn’t great,” Lawrenson told Sports Casting. “They were hawking around looking at potential suitors for Ten Hag’s job, I thought at one stage that he’d had enough and might just walk away. Since then, it looks like they’ve kissed and made up.

Lawrenson also argued it’s time for United to cash in on Luke Shaw. The England left-back has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, playing just 15 times since the start of last season, with his brief international return at Euro 2024 followed by a fresh setback.

“I think United will be looking for a replacement for Luke Shaw given he’s suffered yet another injury,” the former Liverpool defender added. “He made the Euros in the end but if you’ve got players like him who are very rarely fit, you can’t rely on them.

Premier League make major rule change decision that impacts Man United and Man City

The roll-out of semi-automated offside technology (SOAT) in the Premier League has reportedly been postponed until later in the year. The technology was anticipated to be operational a few months into the season but now seems set for a delay.

During a Premier League meeting on Thursday, discussions included an update on the new offside system that’s already being used in the current Champions League format and was present at the 2022 World Cup.

Back in April, members such as Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham unanimously agreed to implement SOAT for this ongoing season. Hopes were that it would debut during an Autumn international break, but The Athletic reports a shift, with introduction expected this winter instead.

In leagues where SOAT is active, benefits include quicker offside decisions, tracking thousands of data points on players and the ball alike, resulting in less disruption to play. Averaging a 30-second decrease in decision time, SOAT aims to enhance viewer experience through instant graphic displays both for stadium spectators and television audiences.

Even with these technological advances, VAR will still play a role in finalising offside determinations. The off-pitch officials will ensure the point of contact and the offside line are accurately recorded before relaying the decision to the on-field referee.

The Premier League has stated that VAR may still be used for “edge decisions” that are challenging to determine. In situations where the ball is obscured from camera angles, making an accurate reading difficult – such as when it’s amidst a group of players – or when a subjective judgement is required regarding play interference, VAR will also step in.