Manchester United star Marcus Rashford will miss the FA Cup fourth round match against Newport County on Sunday due to illness, manager Erik ten Hag confirmed on Sunday. However, the England forward’s absence has raised eyebrows after he was reportedly spotted in a Belfast nightclub on Thursday night, just hours before he was supposed to report for training.
According to The Athletic, Rashford attended Thompsons Garage, a popular club in the city centre, on Thursday night and returned to Manchester on a private flight on Friday morning. He then called in sick and did not join his teammates for the training session at Carrington.
This is not the first time that Rashford has been seen partying in Belfast this week. On Wednesday night, he was also seen entering the same club, as well as Lavery’s Bar, another nightspot in the city. Rashford was in Belfast to visit his friend and former United academy teammate Ro-Shaun Williams, who recently signed for Northern Irish champions Larne.
Rashford’s night out on Thursday has drawn criticism from fans and pundits, who questioned his professionalism and commitment to the club. The 25-year-old has been struggling for form and fitness this season, scoring only four goals in 19 appearances in all competitions. He has also been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, with Real Madrid and Barcelona reportedly interested in his services.
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Ten Hag, who replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as United boss in November, said he was unaware of Rashford’s whereabouts on Thursday night and that he would deal with the matter internally. He also said he was hopeful that Rashford would recover in time for the Premier League clash against Chelsea on Wednesday.
“This morning, Rashford was ill and (Jonny) Evans was ill so we have to see how they recover,” ten Hag told the club’s official website. “I don’t know what he did on Thursday night, I only know what he did on Wednesday night. He was out for dinner with his friend. He had a day off on Thursday, so he can do whatever he wants. But he has to be responsible and professional. He knows that. He apologised and that is it. It is an internal matter and we will handle it accordingly.”
He added: “He is a very important player for us and we need him to be fit and ready. He has been working hard to get back to his best level. He scored two goals in his last two league games, which is a good sign. He is totally with us and he wants to help the team and to win. I hope he will be available for the Chelsea game, but we will have to wait and see.”
United will face Newport County at Rodney Parade on Sunday, hoping to avoid a shock exit from the FA Cup. The League Two side have already knocked out Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester City in previous rounds and will be looking to claim another scalp. United, meanwhile, are aiming to win their first trophy under ten Hag and end their five-year drought without silverware.
