Marcus Rashford “has to work” and “represent his club”, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said after the forward missed his side’s FA Cup third-round win against Arsenal.
Former United top scorer Rashford has missed seven games in all competitions due to a combination of squad selection and illness, and the former England international’s brother and agent, Duane, is said to be looking for a new club for the 27-year-old this month.
“I don’t know,” Amorim replied when asked if Rashford had played his last game for the club he joined as a seven-year-old, via Sky Sports.
“He is a Man Utd player. We’ll see. He has to work, represent his club and love his club, but I have to make decisions. Let’s continue and see in the next game. I have to make a choice.”
Rashford scored three goals in Amorim’s first two league games in charge after the Portuguese joined from Sporting in November, but the former England international will go more than a month out of action by the time United host Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday ( 8pm GMT).
Joshua Zirkzee keeps calm and sends Manchester United to the next round! What a drama!
Watch the FA Cup on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport App#BBCFACup #BBCFootball #FACup pic.twitter.com/NHdYKOtgsY
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 12, 2025
Amorim: Zirkzee ‘game changer’
July signing Joshua Zirkzee scored the winner from the spot in theirs A 5-3 win over The Gunnersafter a 1-1 draw in which Bruno Fernandes scored first and Gabriel hit back after Diogo Dalot received a second yellow card for the visitors.
“He’s a good guy,” Amorim said of £36.5m striker Zirkzee. “He works a lot. Life has these beautiful things. A few weeks ago, [he was] in a difficult moment – now he is a game changer for us.
“Sometimes we have the feeling that everything will be fine in the end. I felt that from the beginning of the second half.
“I also think that the Arsenal team felt that maybe today was not their day. We deserved to go through this round because we all suffered together and showed character.”
“We love him [Ruben Amorim]” #BBCFootball #FACup pic.twitter.com/aLVAz7juTQ
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) January 12, 2025
Bayindir the ‘hero’ of Man United
Arsenal had 26 of the 33 attempts on goal between the teams, with United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir making a series of excellent saves to touch Kai Havertz against the post for the only penalty kick of the shootout.
“As a footballer, your life has cycles and moments and sometimes your life can change,” said Amorim, calling the Turkey international “our hero” and adding that critics were “pointing the finger” at the 26-year-old after United’s 4-3 EFL Cup defeat to Tottenham on December 19.
Bayindir has only featured for United in domestic cup competitions this season, with Andre Onana playing every minute of their 20 league games and six Europa League games.
