Following Manchester United’s surprising 2-1 victory over local rivals Manchester City, manager Ruben Amorim has explained his decision to drop star winger Marcus Rashford from the matchday squad.

City initially took the lead through Josko Gvardiol, but United staged a late comeback with two quickfire goals from Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo, securing a dramatic Premier League win. However, much of the pre-match drama revolved around the absence of Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, who were both omitted from United’s squad.

Amorim initially stated that the decision was based on evaluations of their performances in training and their off-pitch conduct. In the post-match press conference, the Portuguese manager provided further clarity, dismissing speculation that Rashford’s exclusion was due to disciplinary issues or poor behavior.

“It’s important to clarify: it was not a disciplinary matter,” Amorim said. “Next week, next game, new life—they are fighting for their places.

“If it was disciplinary, I would say so, and it would be a bigger problem, but it’s not. For me, it’s about everything: performance in training, performance in games, the way you dress, the way you eat, how you engage with teammates, how you push your teammates—all of it matters.

“When people in the club are losing their jobs, we have to set incredibly high standards. Everyone has to fight for a place in the team. Today, the squad proved that we can leave anyone out and still win if we play together.”

Rashford’s reaction after being substituted early during United’s 2-1 Europa League victory over Viktoria Plzen may have also influenced Amorim’s decision, adding further context to the manager’s emphasis on standards and unity.

With Amorim’s high expectations, Rashford and Garnacho now face the challenge of proving themselves to earn their places back in the squad as United continues to rebuild under their new manager.