Marcus Rashford's response after Barcelona snub as Ruben Amorim sends Man United message

A round-up of Manchester United news as Marcus Rashford reacts to being dropped by Barcelona and United boss Ruben Amorim sends a clear message about his focus at the club

Manchester United relished their hard-earned 2-1 win over Chelsea this past weekend. Ruben Amorim's squad were handed an early advantage after Chelsea's goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was shown the red card, but United had to battle for the win at Old Trafford following Casemiro's dismissal towards the end of the first half.

Amorim would have delighted in his team securing a crucial three points as United strive to gain momentum. Following the win over Chelsea, Amorim was quizzed about one of his predecessors after Jose Mourinho took up the reins as the new Benfica manager last week.

Meanwhile, United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo played a minor part in the team's victory at the weekend, stepping in for club captain and goal scorer Bruno Fernandes in the 87th minute. Former United defender Phil Jones has cast doubt on Mainoo's position in the pecking order and hinted that the England international might soon seek to move away from Old Trafford.

One player who has already departed Old Trafford is Marcus Rashford, having finalised his loan transfer to Barcelona this summer. The La Liga champions have the option to make Rashford's move permanent and the England international showcased his talent with a remarkable brace against Newcastle United last week.

However, Rashford was reportedly benched by manager Hansi Flick on Sunday after arriving late for training. Here, MEN Sport delves deeper into these stories surrounding United.

Marcus Rashford responds to Barcelona snub

Rashford might not have anticipated finding himself on the substitutes' bench for Barcelona's commanding 3-0 triumph against Getafe, having scored twice in the Champions League last week. The 27-year-old's display delivered a stark reminder of the talent United are missing after agreeing the forward's second loan move.

However, The Athletic reported that Rashford was omitted from Barcelona's starting eleven against Getafe following his late arrival at training on match day. His Barcelona colleagues Raphinha, Jules Kounde and Inaki Pena have all previously faced the same punishment from manager Hansi Flick.

Despite being named among the substitutes, Rashford made an almost instant impact after coming on for Raphina during the interval. The United loanee required merely 17 minutes to set up Dani Olmo's goal as Barcelona sealed their 3-0 victory, delivering the ideal response to his demotion to the bench.

For his part, Flick downplayed any suggestion that his team selection stemmed from disciplinary reasons. "For Rashford, it's normal not to play, matches are every three or four days. We have to manage his minutes," he said.

"You saw that with Fermin. He played many minutes, and we have to take that into account. We got three points, 3-0. Everything is great. We must focus on our game."

Ruben Amorim sends clear message

Ruben Amorim has paid tribute to Jose Mourinho following his appointment as Bruno Lage's successor at Benfica. Despite being linked with the Portuguese giants himself, United boss Amorim credited Mourinho for paving the way for other Portuguese managers like himself in a clear message to the former Fenerbahce boss.

"He's the best Portuguese manager, and that won't change," Amorim told DAZN Portugal, as reported by A Bola. "He's always been a very special person in our football, but also in the world, and he opened all the doors for us.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Jose Mourinho. I think it's going to be a lot of fun for you in Portugal, and we're going to enjoy it. But that's the way it is, and we'll be here, watching to see what happens, but focused only on Manchester, and that will be my only club."

Kobbie Mainoo transfer claim

Meanwhile, former United defender Phil Jones has expressed concern over Kobbie Mainoo's future at the club due to Amorim's reluctance to start him. Despite having a loan request rejected during the summer transfer window, the 20-year-old midfielder has made just three substitute appearances in the Premier League, with his only start coming against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup.

"It just looks like at the minute he's out of favour. The manager has already come out and stated he's not going to be playing with Bruno," Jones said of Mainoo's situation on Stadium Astro. "It's going to be him or the other and you're not going to dislodge Bruno in the form that he's in and the way that he carries the team at times with his assists and goals.

"So, he's going to find it difficult for games and United aren't in any European competitions this season. There's not another competition that he might've got some game-time in.

"Time will tell, but I think by Christmas and January time, if he's not had the game time that he'll like, then I'm sure he will be trying to force a loan move."

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