Why Marcus Rashford is on the bench for Manchester United vs Crystal Palace

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Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has been benched by manager Erik ten Hag against Crystal Palace due to rotation.

Rashford has scored three goals in his last two games and had started in all six of United's matches this term but he has been surprisingly named as a substitute at Selhurst Park.

Alejandro Garnacho has replaced Rashford in the only change from the 3-0 victory at Southampton last week. Garnacho has started twice this season but contributed two goals and two assists off the bench against Manchester City, Fulham and Southampton. He was also denied a goal in the defeat at Brighton through Joshua Zirkzee's offside.

Ten Hag acknowledged how good Garnacho has been as a game-changer off the bench but stressed he also deserves to start games.

Rasmus Hojlund is back in the squad for the first time this season after an eight-week lay-off with a hamstring strain and Mason Mount has returned from a four-week absence due to a hamstring injury.

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Ten Hag spoke at length about Rashford's recent improved form on the eve of the game. "I think every player who plays in the Premier League, but definitely in this club, you need some resilience," Ten Hag said. "Not any football career is only the way up, you always go down. You have to deal with it.

"Marcus Rashford has also experienced, he knows when there are setbacks, how to get fightback, how to set his career, his performance. He took control of it and I think he is on the way back. He started the season very good, now he has to continue and to progress."

When asked if new assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has helped Rashford at all, Ten Hag replied: "Probably he needed some help, by backing him for instance.

"At the end of the day, he has to do it by himself. He has to set his life right, his training attitude right, his match attitude right. When he sets his professionalism he will perform because he is a class player.

"I think he always knew, and every player knows, because when your lifestyle is not right, you can't perform in the leagues we have to perform. You don't get the right levels when you don't have a good and disciplined life away from Carrington."

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