Manchester United stars Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho have been surprisingly excluded from the squad for the crucial Premier League derby against Manchester City.
Rashford, whose form this season has been inconsistent, has faced scrutiny and speculation about a potential move away in the New Year.
Garnacho’s omission has caused more surprise among fans, given his pivotal role under manager Ruben Amorim.
Both players reportedly trained earlier in the day at Carrington, adding to the intrigue surrounding their absence.
In a report on Sunday by GB News, Amorim who addressed the decision, emphasised that the exclusion was purely tactical.
“We try to evaluate everything—training performance, game performances, engagement with teammates, pushing their teammates up. Everything is on the line when we analyze and try to choose the players,” Amorim explained.
He continued, “I don’t want to send a message; it is simply an evaluation, and they know it. The players are really, really smart. Everybody understands my decision, and I have to choose. It is simple selection.”
Amorim also highlighted the attention to detail in his decision-making process, stating, “I pay attention to everything—the way you eat, the way you put your clothes on to go to a game. Everything. I make my evaluation, and then I decide.”
United, facing a challenging start to the season, have named Andre Onana in goal with a back three of Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Lisandro Martinez. The midfield features Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte, Bruno Fernandes, and Diogo Dalot, while Amad Diallo and Mason Mount flank striker Rasmus Hojlund are in attack.
Former United captain Roy Keane expressed hope that the match could ignite a turnaround for the team.
“If I was a Man Utd player, for all their problems, you come into it as a derby, and it’s a chance to kick-start the season,” Keane said.
He added, “The results and performances haven’t been great. But one of the reasons you play for Man Utd is to play in these big games. Everyone is writing you off, but at some point, your pride has to kick in. Hopefully, they’ll show their quality.”
Keane also stressed the importance of resilience in the team.
“Man Utd have to turn up today and show some fight, some spirit, a desire to defend a corner, not give daft free kicks away, and players wanting to close people down. Time is running out for a lot of these players,” he warned.