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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has explained his decision to drop Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho for their derby against Manchester City on Sunday, December 15. The Portuguese tactician said that dropping both players was a tactical decision he made after evaluation of his squad.
The Red Devils will look to further upset a Manchester City side who have been performing below par recently. Pep Guardiola's side have won just one of their last six league games and 10 across competitions. Amorim will hope to get a positive result in his first Manchester derby in the Premier League at the Etihad.
However, the manager's decision to drop two of his best attacking talents Garnacho and Rashford to the bench came as a surprise to many. Ahead of the clash, the Portuguese tactician explained his decision to exclude both players from the starting XI. He said (via Centre Devils on X):
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"I pay attention to everything, the way you eat, the way you put your clothes to go to a game. Everything. I make my evaluation and then I decide. There is a communication after the last training. They are alright. They had training this morning and I was there. They trained really well."
Manchester United are winless in their last three league visits to the Etihad. They will hope to end this streak and hand their city neighbors another loss for the season. A win for Amorim's side will be a huge morale booster as they look to turn their fortunes around this season.
How has Manchester United's Marcus Rashford performed previously against Manchester City in the league?
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has faced Manchester United 16 times in the league. He has registered five goals and one assist against the Cityzens.
The 27-year-old notably scored the winning goal in his first Manchester derby at the Etihad back in 2016. He has also found the net in two of his last three league games against the defending champions.
However, Rashford has had a quiet 2024-25 season so far, managing seven goals and three assists in 24 games across competitions. He has also been linked with a move away from the club.
