‘Disrespectful’ Man Utd star told he needs to ‘look at himself’ as contract claim is made

Man Utd legend Andy Cole thinks Marcus Rashford “needs to have a look at himself” following his escapades in Belfast last week.

Having scored 30 goals for the Red Devils in 2022-23, things have gone awry this term and the forward’s paltry four-goal haul has been compounded by some off-field matters.

Ten Hag called Rashford’s decision to go to a party after October’s derby defeat to Manchester City “unacceptable” and stories emerged in recent days of more late-night exploits.

The 26-year-old is reported to have gone out in Belfast last Thursday night until 3am and was unable to train the following day through illness, going on to miss Sunday’s FA Cup win at Newport.

Man Utd later said in a statement that “Marcus has taken responsibility for his actions” and the “internal disciplinary matter” is closed.

And former Man Utd striker Cole thinks Rashford should be “bitterly disappointed” to have found himself in a similar position twice in a season.

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Cole told the Daily Mail: “I’m surprised Marcus has found himself in this position again.

“We never minded a night out when I was playing and everyone is entitled to a night out but ultimately when you do have a night out you need to turn up for training.

“You can’t go on a couple of nights out and then call in sick – that’s disrespectful.

“He has found himself in hot water and Erik ten Hag has dealt with it internally and the situation is now over but he needs to have a look at himself.

“If I was Marcus, which I’m not, but if it was me personally, I would be bitterly disappointed if I found myself in this situation after such a good season last season.”

And former Premier League manager Sam Allardyce echoed Cole’s thoughts on Rashford by saying that he “needs to look at himself”.

Allardyce told William Hill: “He’s done it before. I read an article about the fact that he’d gone down to a nightclub which was the last incident where he ended up missing training, so there are previous mishaps that are sneaking into his life again.

“Everyone is looking at the situation and at Erik ten Hag – it is the last thing he needs. It’s worse for Marcus Rashford in his own life, he needs to look at himself in the mirror and sort himself out – he’s the only one who can do it.

“There were one or two players in my time that were so talented that they could do things like this and get away with it. We didn’t have the sports science that we have today, we weren’t monitored, we didn’t have the stats, the diet, the nutrition, but even then, it still didn’t make it okay.”

Rashford signed a new lucrative contract in July and Allardyce added: “I’ve got this problem, and I’ve seen it before, players get a new contract when they’re in the last year of their current one, they play their very best to secure the massive contract and then switch off, and that looks to be what Rashford has done.

“Since then, his discipline and performances have gone way down. He’s had all this publicity about all the great stuff he’s done off the field, his work with the schools and meeting the Queen, and all of that good and charitable work has been brushed aside. Everyone will now be looking at him thinking that he’s let himself down, the club down, and his family down.”