Rashford and Garnacho dropped by WhatsApp as 'standards ...
Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho found out by WhatsApp that they had been entirely dropped from the 20-man squad to face Manchester City.
Ruben Amorim was bold and ruthless as both players were dropped for the derby, with Mason Mount and Amad Diallo preferred either side of striker Rasmus Hojlund.
The gamble paid off as United came from behind to beat Manchester City 2-1 with late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Diallo, who left Roy Keane purring.
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Amorim was obviously asked to explain his thinking and replied: “Selection.
“We try to evaluate everything – training, performance, game performance, engagement with the teammates, push the teammates up.
“Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players, so it was my selection. Simple.
“I don’t want to send a message (to the dressing room with this). It’s simply an evaluation, and they know it.
“The players are really, really smart and so everybody understands my decision and I have to choose. It’s just a simple selection.
“Of course the context is difficult – we have to win games and we have a difficult situation now.
“But, like I said, I pay attention to everything – the way you eat, the way you put on your clothes to go the game. Everything.
“I make my evaluation and then I have to decide. I have a lot of players to choose (from) and today I did my choice.”
Asked how he had delivered the information, Amorim said: “It’s the same all the time and they all understand.
“There’s a communication that after the last training is going to the WhatsApp, and then they receive the information. But they are alright, they had training this morning.
“I was there because it’s important for every player… even Jonny Evans because Jonny Evans also (trained) and Toby (Collyer) was there and everything was OK. They trained really well.”
After the game Amorim said: “It was nothing special. New week, new life. If they train well, they will compete for a place in the team, if they are better than the other guys in all the situations, inside and outside the pitch.
“They are really talented and we need Garna and Rash a lot. It was not a disciplinary thing. It’s just that we have to improve our standards. They will get used to this.”
They might take a while to process the news that they are below Antony in the pecking order, Ruben.
