Marcus Rashford Speaks Out After Half-Time Substitution in Man Utd‘s Dramatic Draw with Porto
Marcus Rashford has addressed his surprising substitution at halftime during Manchester United’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Porto.
The forward ended a brief goal drought with a first-half goal, showcasing his talent at the Estadio do Dragao.
Rashford opened the scoring just seven minutes into the match, cutting in from the left and slotting a low shot past Porto’s goalkeeper, Diogo Costa.
He continued to be a significant threat, later assisting Rasmus Hojlund for United’s second goal. However, fans were left puzzled when he was replaced by Alejandro Garnacho at the break, especially after Porto managed to equalize at 2-2.
Despite the baffling decision, United salvaged a late point thanks to Harry Maguire’s goal. Following the match, Rashford took to Instagram to share his mixed feelings, writing: “Bitter Sweet. I’m happy to learn that I have broken into the top five scorers in Europe for United. But I’m gutted that we never managed to win tonight.”
Fans flooded the comments section, expressing their support. One wrote, “Proud of you, Rashy; you deserve better,” while another said, “You were a beast tonight; more of that, boy.” A third fan added, “Should’ve never been subbed.”
United manager Erik ten Hag explained the rationale behind the substitution, stating it was part of a “squad rotation.” He noted, “We had to rotate. Garnacho didn’t start, but he had a great game, not only on Sunday but the whole season. We have another tough game on Sunday, so we need players who are fit and fresh.”
Rashford has not played more than 75 minutes since United’s defeat to Liverpool on September 1, completing a full 90 minutes only twice this season.
As Manchester United prepares to face Aston Villa on Sunday, they will encounter a side riding high after defeating Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The pressure is mounting on Ten Hag as he strives to turn around United’s fortunes following a series of disappointing results.
Maguire’s late equalizer came just hours after he learned he had been excluded from Lee Carsley’s England squad, adding further drama to the match.
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