“My dedication and desire to be here should never be in question” – Manchester United star breaks silence on criticism

Manchester United talisman Marcus Rashford broke his silence on Twitter in response to the constant criticism he and his teammates have received in recent weeks.

Manchester United showed signs of spark in their initial few matches under interim manager Ralf Rangnick. However, their recent games have brought back a familiar frustration. Players have looked incapable of pressing high up for 90 minutes, let alone being able to dominate opponents that they are expected to beat.

The recent 1-0 loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers was especially disappointing due to the manner in which Rubin Neves and Joao Moutinho dominated Manchester United’s midfield.

Rashford has been in poor form since the start of the season as well. He last scored in the 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Naturally, fans have criticized the forward heavily on social media for his poor performances. However, after weeks of silence on social media, Rashford posted the following Tweet, claiming that his dedication and desire need not be questioned:

"I read something earlier that said I'd been quiet on here, but what can I say that will make this better other than showing you all on the pitch? We've all been disappointed with recent performances and we've been as disappointed with the news coverage questioning our commitment to not only the manager and the coaching staff, but the club."

He added:

"I have endless respect for both and I'm looking forward to bettering my game under the staff at Manchester United. I'm not sulking, I'm not unhappy, am I disappointed in recent performances? Of course I am. I'm my own biggest critic. It's been a tough start, but I'm determined to prove my worth. My dedication and desire to be here should never be in question. I love this club."

Marcus Rashford is one of several Manchester United players who need to pick up slack

As many as 14 players were reported to have grown disillusioned under Rangnick and were said to be looking to move away. Rashford is the second player after Fred to have hit back at such claims.

Rangnick suggested he needed more time to bring about major changes and for his players to be fitter than they are currently.

Apart from Rashford, others such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood have all looked lackluster at times in recent matches. The team has failed to press with the same intensity that they showed during Rangnick’s first two games in charge and the results have shown the same.

It seems as if several players have burned out after working too hard in the first few games. In such a scenario, Rangnick will need to hope for improvement in fitness and work-rate over the coming time. Their attacking output has also been poor at best in recent EPL games, which can be expected to improve in the coming weeks as well.

Of course, Manchester United have more than enough quality to compete with the very best of club football. If players are able to embrace the new system and start performing like they are expected to, results should inadvertently follow.