Manchester United stars Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho have come under fire from Gary Neville for their lacklustre performance in the stalemate 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
With Ruben Amorim is poised to take over the helm at United, Ruud van Nistelrooy has been acting as interim boss until the Portuguese coach arrives in Manchester. Van Nistelrooy’s first major test was a gritty encounter against Chelsea on Sunday, following a Carabao Cup triumph over Leicester on Wednesday.
The scrappy contest finished 1-1, with both teams failing to shine, a sentiment reflected in the final score. The deadlock was eventually broken when United’s captain Bruno Fernandes scored from the penalty spot at the 70th-minute mark, after Rasmus Hojlund was fouled by Chelsea’s keeper Robert Sanchez.
United’s lead didn’t last long however, with Moises Caicedo equalising for Chelsea a swift volley just four minutes later. And speaking after the clash at Old Trafford, ex-United defender turned Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville called out Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho for their lack of offensive aggression and, crucially, their defensive effort, reports the Mirror.
Speaking on ‘The Gary Neville Podcast’, Neville said: “I’m not going to dig Rashford and Garnacho out… but I am. Because they are two players who have come through the ranks. With that comes some credit: the fact that you’re an academy player and you get a level of buy-in from the fans because of that.
(Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)
“So, there’s an enthusiasm towards them. Obviously now Rashford’s been in the team for a good few years and Garnacho for a couple of years or so.
“But, when I watch [Bukayo] Saka and [Leandro] Trossard and [Gabriel] Martinelli [playing for Arsenal], and when I watch Bernardo Silva and [Phil] Foden for Man City, or I watch players at Liverpool, I watch them all scurrying back, harassing back and doubling up with real intent.”
“But I’ve watched [Malo] Gusto run forward on that far side… we couldn’t believe how much space he got [in the game against Chelsea]. The first ethic is that you have to work hard. I’m not saying that Garnacho and Rashford do not work hard, but they can work harder. I know that. That’s in their defensive work – which then, I think, gives you the reward in your attacking play.”
(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
Neville added: “I played with the likes of Andrei Kanchelskis, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs on the other side for most of the time that I was at United. And the work that they put in off the ball meant that the rewards came for the team on the ball.
“They have no idea how to press. I think they need coaching again, almost as if they need to restart and be coached again, this group of players, because they don’t look like they’ve ever met each other. It’s really disappointing. Player after player has come to United for 10 years – and managers – and they’ve been unable to unlock the door that is just a level of performance.”