"It has to be like that" - Manchester United star backs Erik ten Hag's decision to bench Marcus Rashford

Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has defended Erik ten Hag's decision to punish Marcus Rashford.

Ten Hag surprised many by starting Rashford on the substitutes bench for the Red Devils' 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday (December 31). The English forward was dropped due to 'internal disciplinary reasons', with Rashford explaining after the game that he had overslept and missed a meeting.

He scored a fabulous 76th-minute winner after coming on at half-time. His English compatriot Shaw has backed the disciplinary action Ten Hag took on Rashford. The Manchester United left-back told BT Sport after the win over Wolves:

“At a top club like this, it has to be like that."

Shaw then alluded to the lack of discipline that has taken hold at Old Trafford over the years:

“People can’t do whatever they want. Maybe that has been part of the problem in the past, where people are getting away with silly little things. But the manager takes all of that into consideration, and like you’ve seen, if you’re not keeping the standards high, then you won’t play.”

Ten Hag has continuously shown that he will take action against any lack of professionalism from his players.

The Dutch coach suspended Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese forward refused to come on as a substitute in a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in October. The legendary striker then gave an explosive interview with journalist Piers Morgan, saying that he no longer respected Ten Hag. Ronaldo then left United, with the player and club mutually agreeing to terminate his contract.

Ten Hag also punished his squad after the demoralising 4-0 defeat to Brentford in August. The Manchester United boss joined players on a 14km run after the loss, as they didn't match the amount of running Brentford players achieved.

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Manchester United defender Raphael Varane happy with club's end to 2022

Varane is pleased with United's end to the year.

Varane took to Twitter after Manchester United's 1-0 win over Wolves, expressing his pleasure over a strong end to the year for the Red Devils.

He tweeted:

"Five wins in a row a strong way to end the year. Happy new year everyone !!"

The French defender has been in superb form for United this season, featuring 13 appearances across competitions, helping the side keep seven clean sheets.

He became the first Premier League player to return to club football after playing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. Manchester United are fourth in the standings with ten wins, two draws and four defeats in 16 games. They next face Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Tuesday (January 3).