Marcus Rashford urges those questioning his dedication to Manchester United to demonstrate “greater compassion.”Marcus Rashford urges those questioning his dedication to Manchester United to demonstrate “greater compassion.”
Rashford, aged 26, has netted five goals for United this season and has been criticized for perceived attitude problems.
He was absent from United’s FA Cup victory over Newport, following reports of sightings in nightspots in Northern Ireland.
“If you ever question my commitment to United, that’s when I have to speak up,” the England forward said in a piece for The Players’ Tribune.
“It’s like somebody questioning my entire identity, and everything I stand for as a man.
“I grew up here. I have played for this club since I was a boy. My family turned down life-changing money when I was a kid so I could wear this badge.”
Born in Manchester, Rashford emerged from the United youth system and debuted for the first team at the age of 18 in 2016.
Since then, he has amassed 391 appearances for the Red Devils, finding the net 128 times.
Although he achieved a career-high of 30 goals last season, he has been unable to replicate the same level of performance this season, coinciding with United’s challenges under manager Erik ten Hag. Currently, they occupy sixth place in the Premier League standings after 26 matches.
“I can take any criticism. I can take any headline. From podcasts, social media and the papers. I can take it,” Rashford added.
“But if you start questioning my commitment to this club and my love for football and bringing my family into it, then I’d simply ask you to have a bit more humanity.”
Rashford has encountered scrutiny regarding both his on-field performance and his behavior off the pitch. In January, reports surfaced of his presence in Belfast nightspots just before missing a United training session due to illness, followed by his absence from the Newport game.
He was also excluded from the starting lineup for a Carabao Cup match against Newcastle in November, as Ten Hag disapproved of Rashford celebrating his birthday shortly after a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. This weekend, United confront City once more.
Further disciplinary actions involved Rashford being relegated to the substitutes’ bench for a Premier League match against Wolves last season due to oversleeping and tardiness for a team meeting.
Rashford perceives a disproportionate media focus on him, attributing it in part to his high-profile campaign against child food poverty, which prompted a government policy reversal in 2020.
“It seems like they’ve been waiting for me to have a human moment so they can point the finger and say, ‘See? See who he really is?'” Rashford wrote.
“Listen, I’m not a perfect person. When I make a mistake, I’ll be the first one to put my hand up and say that I need to do better.”