Manchester United’s Erik ten Hag stood firm on his decision to start Marcus Rashford on the bench in their 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace, citing rotation as the key reason.
Rotation, Not Performance
Ten Hag dismissed speculation surrounding Rashford’s benching, emphasizing:
“There’s rotation. We have many games to cover and more than 11 players. We’ll give chances to those who perform.”
Rashford, introduced in the 61st minute, has been performing well, with Ten Hag praising his:
“Defending, offense, and scoring. He’s doing very well.”
Palace Grow into Contest
Despite United’s dominant first half, Palace regrouped and pushed for a win, thanks in part to Dean Henderson’s excellent goalkeeping.
Key Moments
– Alejandro Garnacho hit the crossbar in the first half
– Bruno Fernandes replicated Garnacho’s feat seconds later
– Henderson made crucial saves in the second half
– Andre Onana’s brilliant double save denied Eddie Nketiah and Ismaila Sarr
Ten Hag’s Verdict
“The only thing I can criticize is we weren’t clinical enough in the box, not decisive enough.”
When asked if Rashford could’ve made the difference:
“Garnacho has end product, and Amad (Diallo) is playing well. We have to play them too.”
Palace Search for First Win
Crystal Palace remains winless this season, with three consecutive draws.
Glasner’s Half-Time Rally
Oliver Glasner demanded more bravery from his team at halftime:
“We switched mindset to play with more courage… We were too cautious in the first half.”
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