Marcus Rashford “has to work” and “represent his club”, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has said after the striker missed his side’s FA Cup third round win at Arsenal.
Former United top scorer Rashford has missed seven matches in all competitions through a combination of team selections and illness, with the former England international’s brother and agent, Duane, reportedly seeking a new club for the 27-year-old this month.
“I don’t know,” Amorim replied when he was asked whether Rashford had played his last game for the club he joined as a seven-year-old, via Sky Sports.
“He’s a player for Man Utd. We’ll see. He has to work, represent his club and he loves his club, but I have to make choices. Let’s continue and see in the next game. I have to make a selection.”
Rashford scored three goals in Amorim’s first two league matches in charge after the Portuguese joined from Sporting in November, but the ex-England international will have gone more than a month without being involved by the time United host Southampton in the top flight on Thursday (8pm GMT).
Joshua Zirkzee keeps his cool to send Manchester United into the next round! What 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
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Amorim: Zirkzee ‘a gamechanger’
July signing Joshua Zirkzee scored the winning spot kick in their 5-3 shoot-out victory over The Gunners, coming after a 1-1 draw in which Bruno Fernandes struck the opener and Gabriel replied after Diogo Dalot had received a second yellow card for the visitors.
“He is a good guy,” Amorim said of £36.5 million forward Zirkzee. “He works a lot. Life has these beautiful things. A few weeks ago, [he was] in a difficult moment – now he is a gamechanger for us.
“We sometimes have the feeling that everything is going to be OK in the end. I felt that since the beginning of the second half.
“I also think the Arsenal team felt that maybe today was not their day. We deserved to pass 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 a Man United ‘hero’
Arsenal had 26 of the 33 attempts on goal between the teams, with United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir making a string of excellent saves and touching Kai Havertz’s effort against a post in the only unsuccessful penalty of the shoot-out.
“As a footballer, your life has cycles and moments and sometimes your life can change,” said Amorim, calling the Turkiye international “our hero” and adding that critics were “pointing the finger” at the 26-year-old after United’s 4-3 EFL Cup defeat at Tottenham on December 19.
Bayindir has only appeared for United in domestic cup competitions this season, with Andre Onana playing every minute of their 20 league games and six Europa League matches.
