Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said Marcus Rashford’s situation has not changed and he remains available for selection ahead of this weekend’s game against Bournemouth.
Amorim left Rashford out of United’s squad for the 4-3 defeat at Tottenham in the Carabao Cup after the 27-year-old declared he was ready for a “new challenge” away from the club.
Amorim explained that Rashford was left at home on “selection” grounds and - if nothing has changed - it appears as if the forward is unlikely to return ahead of the visit of Bournemouth to Old Trafford on Sunday.
The United manager stood by his decision to omit Rashford after his team’s quarter-final exit but the Portuguese maintained he has not been dropped for disciplinary reasons and remains available for selection.
“Of course,” Amorim said after the defeat to Tottenham on Thursday night. “It’s the same thing. It will be the same thing [against Bournemouth].”
Amorim had used his pre-match press conference on Wednesday to declare Rashford a “big talent” and said United were better with the forward, who is under contract until 2028, at the club.
Rashford was left out of United’s squad for the 2-1 win at Manchester City on Sunday and told the journalist Henry Winter on Tuesday that he was prepared to leave after 20 years at his boyhood club.
Amorim brought winger Alejandro Garnacho back into the fold against Tottenham after the 20-year-old was also dropped from the Manchester derby and said he made an impact from the bench after United were 3-0 down.
But Amorim maintained that it was not a “mistake” to leave Rashford out as United suffered their third defeat under his tenure.
“I feel that I do the right thing for the team so it’s never a mistake. We have to make a selection,” he said.
“Sometimes, like in the game, you feel that some of the guys go inside of the pitch and change a little bit of the game. Sometimes it is like that.
“I think it was not a mistake because I feel I am always doing the best for the team in my way of seeing things.”
Before the Spurs match, Amorim spoke to Sky Sports and confirmed that Rashford had been left out of his squad on “selection” grounds.
Amorim said: “I chose the players that I feel are ready to cope with the demands of playing a strong game. I tried to visualise it all week and then choose my players - just selection.
“It’s always the same with every player - not just Marcus. I had to make a selection and I did it.”
