Rangnick told to drop three ‘broken’ Man Utd stars

Ralf Rangnick should drop three “broken” Manchester United players for the Champions League last 16 clash with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, according to Dean Ashton.

United host Atletico in the second leg after Anthony Elanga scored a crucial equaliser in the Wanda Metropolitano to leave the game evenly balanced at 1-1.

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And former West Ham striker Dean Ashton has urged United boss Rangnick to make some tough decisions ahead of the game and leave out a trio of stars.

“Rashford, oh my word! I know I’ve seen it on TV but when you see it live, I could not believe the player I was watching,” Ashton said on talkSPORT.

“Shattered confidence, lack of interest, this is meant to be the club he’s grown up loving.

“He’s supposed to represent the supporters from Manchester and what it means to play for Manchester United. There just wasn’t any of that there.

“I think he needs taking right out of the way, out of the squad completely. There’s obviously an issue there mentally because he just doesn’t look right at all.”

But Ashton also believes two more of Rashford’s England team-mates need to be dropped.

He claims captain Harry Maguire and left-back Luke Shaw, who is set to return against Atletico after recovering from Covid, also look “broken”.

“I don’t think we should just single out Marcus Rashford,” Ashton continued.

“There are a few players in that side who are completely broken. Their confidence is broken.

“Harry Maguire’s one of them. I don’t think he’s a bad player, I think he’s had very, very good games. But he is broken.

“The pressure that’s on him every week, which is right when you’re at a top club like that, but the huge scrutiny is affecting him. He needs the help to get that back.

“Shaw is another one, confidence completely broken.

“You don’t just all of a sudden become a terrible player. As a player, if you’re not right mentally and in terms of your confidence levels you can look a terrible player very, very quickly.

“But ultimately that can switch and that confidence can be changed… but at the moment I’d say there are quite a few players that are just so far below the levels that they’re clearly capable of.”