Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag reveals why he has dropped Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial for Chelsea fixture

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has explained that dropping Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial for the Chelsea game on Wednesday (December 6) is a part of his squad rotation.

The Red Devils host the Blues at Old Trafford in the Premier League, with both teams struggling to find their best this season. In 14 games, United have won eight and lost six, including a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United last weekend.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are down in 11th place, four below United, after picking up just five wins in 14 outings. Ten Hag, who guided his United side to the Carabao Cup title last season, is under pressure for United's dismal performances.

For their upcoming clash with the west London side, he has opted to drop Rashford and Martial from the attack. When questioned about his decision, the Dutchman simply said: (via UtdPlug on X):

"It is part of rotation."

Once key players for Manchester United, both have struggled for form this season. Rashford returned to his best last term with 30 goals across competitions but has declined once again, netting only twice this campaign.

Martial, who scored only nine goals last season, has mustered just one in the league this time. Hence, leaving them on the bench might not particularly hurt United's chances.

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Manchester United and Chelsea meet in a game of fragile defences

Manchester United and Chelsea have both flattered to deceive this season, big time.

The Red Devils have been in sixes and sevens in defence, conceding 17 times in the Premier League and netting only 16 goals. They are the only team in the top 10 with a negative goal difference.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are tenth. Having finished a lowly 12th last season, the Blues continue to languish in the lower rungs of the division. They underwent a massive clearout during the summer and appointed a new manager in Mauricio Pochettino, but it hsa hardly done anything to turn them into title contenders.

It will be interesting to see how the fallen giants fare against each other, with European football next season looking like a challenge for both teams.