Erik ten Hag hits back at Marcus Rashford suggestions after Manchester United rotation | OneFootball

Red Devils could only manage goalless draw at Crystal Palace

Erik ten Hag has hit back at the critics who questioned his decision to drop Marcus Rashford from the Manchester United team to face Crystal Palace.

However, Ten Hag dropped the England international at Selhurst Park in favour of Joshua Zirkzee leading the line with Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho on the flanks.

“I didn't understand the criticism,” he said. “People are not entitled to bring speculation.

"If I give an explanation they have to trust my words. If they don't, that's not right.”

Erik ten Hag benched Marcus Rashford for Man Utd’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace

AFP via Getty Images

Former England midfielder Redknapp - who was working on the game for Sky Sports - suggested “there’s obviously something that’s happened” for Ten Hag to leave Rashford out.

While Lineker and Shearer discussed the incident on their The Rest is Football podcast, with Lineker saying: “It looks like, reading between the lines, it might be some disciplinary issues because he (Ten Hag) kind of mooted that in his press conference that 'Marcus has got to be professional'.

Shearer replied: “Why else would you leave him out?'

“When things have been criticised, and I was one of them, for performances, but then you get your goal last weekend, you get another couple in midweek.

“Why would you actually even contemplate leaving him out? My guess is, and it is a guess, it has to be something different.”

Ten Hag went on to state he feels that the increased football schedule will end in injuries.

The Europa League like the Champions League has been expanded from 32 to 36 teams this season, with two extra games added before the knockout stage.

"There are too many games. It's clear. Too many competitions," Ten Hag added.

"For the top players, they are overloaded and this is not good for football. It's maybe good for commercial but there is a limit.

"It's almost unavoidable that players get injured because of the overload from so many games."