After a season of turmoil last year, the early signs are far more promising for Manchester United's Marcus Rashford this season.
The 26-year-old was left out of England's EURO 2024 squad after a poor campaign saw him chalk up only eight goals in 43 appearances in all competitions.
However, he has been in far more promising form this season and had scored three goals in his last two games before curiously being dropped to the bench for Saturday's stalemate at Selhurst Park.
Rather than plump for the reasonable explanation that manager Erik ten Hag may simply have decided to rotate between his three in-form wingers (Amad and Alejandro Garnacho have also had bright starts to the campaign), Jamie Redknapp opted for something more extreme.
🗣️ "There's obviously something that's happened"
Jamie Redknapp shares his thoughts on Erik ten Hag dropping Marcus Rashford from the Man United starting XI 💭 pic.twitter.com/N1wD1nXdhL— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 21, 2024
The ex-Liverpool man said on Sky Sports pre-match that he believed something "untoward" had gone on between Rashford and ten Hag in the four days since United's 7-0 win over Barnsley in the EFL Cup. Redknapp would offer zero evidence for this theory.
I mean, it feels like something's gone on untoward. Obviously, I don't know details - but you don't drop a player who's just scored two in midweek, he scored against Southampton.
It feels like something has maybe happened this week. I don't know, the manager's frustration...it's unusual for a manager to almost 'out' a player by talking about their lifestyle...ten Hag has done it on occasion and it's not always beneficial to the players.
Something over the last year or so hasn't been right with Marcus. I don't know how he lives his lifestyle...his manager has obviously alluded to it, is it in the right way? There's obviously something that's happened, in ten Hag's defence...it's not ideal for Rashford to be labelled with that either.
Marcus Rashford did fall foul of a severe violation at Manchester United last season. The England forward was disciplined after he missed training - the result of an unsanctioned night out in Belfast.
Rashford was rightly criticised for those antics, though some pundits felt some of the criticism and vitriol he faced last season was over the top.
Ten Hag is among those who has stuck up for Rashford in the face of some of the footballing criticism he has received since last summer, most recently just last month after Alan Shearer questioned Rashford's attacking play.
United's manager has now stood up for his star man once again, firing back at Jamie Redknapp for the second time in only a matter of days as a result of his bizarre accusations against Marcus Rashford.
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Erik ten Hag doubles down as he rips into Jamie Redknapp's Marcus Rashford accusation
Speaking to the media immediately after Saturday's 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace, Erik ten Hag unequivocally shut down Jamie Redknapp's suggestion that some ill-will had built up between him and Marcus Rashford.
"That's crazy," ten Hag said, "I would almost say as a person you are not OK when you bring such speculation if you don't know what's up. This is just rotation."
He has now doubled down on that criticism, once again not holding back when asked on Tuesday to respond to Redknapp's comments.
Ten Hag addressed the media ahead of Wednesday night's Europa League opener against FC Twente, saying:
I didn’t understand the criticism. People are entitled if they want to, but what they are not entitled to do is to bring speculation. If I give an explanation they have to trust my words. If they don’t, that’s not right.
No matter your read of Marcus Rashford's form on the pitch, it's hard to argue with Erik ten Hag on this matter.
The suggestion from Jamie Redknapp of disciplinary issues was made completely without evidence, against a player who has been targeted relentlessly by many media outlets in recent months (unfairly, in the eyes of some Manchester United fans).
To disingenuously suggest that fresh issues had cropped up behind the scenes, without anything to back up those claims with, is poor from a pundit of Redknapp's experience, regardless of your feelings towards any particular player.
Marcus Rashford is expected to return to the starting lineup for Wednesday's Europa League game, and Erik ten Hag will hope he continues to slowly find the form which made him such a dangerous opponent in 2022-23.
