Selfish Play Or Tactical Choice? Marcus Rashford Ignores Teammates In Porto 3-3 Manchester United

When Marcus Rashford had another opportunity to score but didn’t, as Porto players closed in on him, many fans criticized him for being selfish.

United Manchester gave up an early two-goal lead after Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund scored.

Similarly, Porto equalized before halftime, scoring twice within seven minutes as United faltered again in Europe.

Pepe tapped in a goal at the back post, followed by Samu Omorodion, who nearly joined Chelsea in the summer, heading in after overpowering Matthijs De Ligt.

Eventually, Harry Maguire scored a header in stoppage time to save a point for Manchester United in Porto, helping them draw 3-3 in the Europa League.

This came after a surprising collapse, and it was made even more challenging by Bruno Fernandes getting sent off for the second match in a row.

Marcus Rashford Fails To Listen As Amad Diallo And Bruno Fernandes Urge Him To Pass

Rashford was a key player in United’s best attacking plays in the first half. He finished with eight touches in the opponent’s box, even though he only played for 45 minutes.

At one point, he was close to scoring, but Porto players surrounded him; he had teammates Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes calling for him to pass.

Instead, he opted to take the shot, but it went straight at the goalkeeper and didn’t find the back of the net.

Marcus Rashford is never a team player just look at Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes shouting for him to pass. 😭 😭

Pass MF!!!! pic.twitter.com/xNV6OiYpll

— Kara (@UTDKara) October 3, 2024

Many criticized Rashford for being selfish; they found him focused more on adding to his goal tally than setting up his teammates.

They also pointed out that an assist is just as valuable as a goal, and his refusal to pass at that moment showed a lack of team spirit.

On the other hand, some supporters defended Rashford, highlighting that he provided two assists in the match.

Critics noted that he may not have been fully locked in when searching for space to shoot, but his contributions in the first half of the game should not be overlooked.

Despite fans labeling Rashford a non-team player, it’s worth noting that he did register an assist during the match.

Further, fans joked that it was as if the assist came from Porto’s side.

Some fans also stated that judging from a still picture was easy, but Rashford was in motion and likely couldn’t see Diallo and Fernandes.

Ten Hag Statement Regarding Substituting Marcus Rashford In The Second Half

It was unexpected when he was substituted for Alejandro Garnacho before the second half started.

When asked if Rashford’s involvement in Porto’s first goal influenced his substitution, Ten Hag responded,

You are losing 3-2 and you need a goal.

Ten Hag: pic.twitter.com/VAdYeJ7htS

— Footy Humour (@FootyHumour) October 3, 2024

Ten Hag explained to TNT Sports that team members must rotate the squad.

He mentioned that while Garnacho didn’t start, he has been playing exceptionally well, not just on 29th September but throughout the season.

With a quick turnaround to the game against Villa, and considering Villa had an extra day to recover, it was essential to manage the team’s fitness, especially for an away match.

Additional Information

• Marcus Rashford was born in Manchester on October 31, 1997, and grew up in the Fallowfield, Withington, and Wythenshawe areas.
• He has Jamaican heritage from his father’s side and Kittitian roots from his mother’s.
• In May 2022, Rashford announced his engagement to Lucia Loi, his girlfriend since school. They briefly separated in 2021 and then separated again in June 2023.