Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim addressed the surprise omissions of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the squad for Sunday’s Manchester derby, insisting there were no disciplinary reasons behind the decision.
Fans were left puzzled when neither forward was included in the 20-man roster for the high-stakes clash against Manchester City. However, Amorim’s gamble paid off as United secured a dramatic 2-1 victory thanks to two late goals. Rashford had featured for 56 minutes in United’s 2-1 Europa League comeback win over Viktoria Plzen on Thursday, while Garnacho was introduced as a late substitute in that game.
Rather than joining their teammates at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, both players trained separately at United’s Carrington base during the match.
Speaking after the derby victory, Amorim dismissed speculation of disciplinary actions but hinted at the high standards he demands from his players at Old Trafford.
“It’s not a disciplinary matter,” he said firmly. “Next week brings new opportunities, a new game, and they’ll be fighting for their spots again.
“For me, everything matters: how you perform in training, how you play during matches, the way you present yourself, your diet, and how you connect with and push your teammates.
“This is a critical time for the club, and we are trying to raise the bar. People in our organization are losing their jobs, so we need to hold ourselves to the highest standards. Everyone must earn their place in this team.”
Amorim emphasized that the team’s ability to succeed without key players demonstrated the collective strength of the squad.
“Today, we showed that we can leave out anyone and still win if we play as a team,” he added.
The Portuguese coach, who previously managed Sporting Lisbon, also made it clear that he would have openly addressed any disciplinary issues if they had occurred.
“There are small things we need to adjust,” Amorim explained. “But this wasn’t a disciplinary situation. It’s about performance in training and matches, and I have to make decisions.
“Even Jonny Evans, who is crucial to our team, stayed home despite doing everything right. If there was a disciplinary issue, I would say it openly, but that’s not the case here. Rashford and Garnacho trained hard today, and it’s a new week with new opportunities.”
Reports had linked Garnacho’s absence to rumors of leaked team information, but a club source told the PA news agency that this was not the case.
When asked about the alleged leaks, Amorim acknowledged the challenge of maintaining confidentiality in modern football.
“I’m aware of the rumors, but it’s difficult to control these things,” he said. “With so many people in the club and players talking to agents or friends, leaks are almost impossible to stop.
“It’s not ideal, but we’ll move on and focus on preparing for the next match.”
