Rooney Discusses Rashford's Performance and Upcoming Liverpool Match
Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has expressed his belief that Marcus Rashford's inconsistent performance for the club is not solely a result of the environment.
Since debuting for Manchester United in 2016, Rashford has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances and has won five major trophies. Although he achieved an impressive tally of 30 goals across all competitions during the 2022-23 season, he has struggled to replicate that form, leading to a loan spell at Aston Villa for the latter part of last season.
Currently thriving on loan at Barcelona, Rashford recently mentioned in an interview that he has experienced an "inconsistent environment for a very long time." However, during the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, Rooney countered this perspective, stating, "I think the environment hasn’t been right, but that is down to yourself. If you are not playing well or you get left out of the team, it can be easier to blame the environment, but that responsibility lies with how you apply yourself."
Rooney further elaborated, saying, "In games, we have seen that he can do more; we know he can run more—this is not about the environment. I might be wrong here; I really like Marcus as a person, but I think it's an easy excuse to throw at people."
The Premier League resumes this weekend following the international break, with Manchester United set to face their arch-rivals Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday at 16:30 BST. United's form has been inconsistent, yet with three victories in their last five matches, manager Ruben Amorim's squad may feel they are meeting Liverpool at a favorable moment, as the defending champions have suffered defeats in their last three games across all competitions.
Rooney commented on the upcoming match, saying, "If Liverpool lose four games in a row and are defeated by Manchester United at Anfield, the pressure will definitely be on them. Bringing in many new players, each with their own ambitions, has made it challenging to establish chemistry. Although they started the season strong with five consecutive Premier League wins, the last three matches have exposed underlying issues that have persisted all season. This could be a crucial reset moment for Liverpool."