NTTF Exclusive: Rashford Disciplined By Ten Hag Yet Again, Believes Sam Allardyce

Speaking exclusively on our No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, ex-England manager Sam Allardyce was joined by former Blackburn defender Chris Samba, and the pair were questioned on Manchester United’s chance at silverware this season, as well as the enigma of Marcus Rashford.

Rashford saw a start in the Europa League match against FC Twente last night, but questions were raised at the weekend after the forward was dropped for United’s goalless draw against Crystal Palace last weekend, despite scoring three goals in two matches prior.

Speaking on the podcast, Allardyce believes that Rashford being dropped might be another disciplinary issue between the player and Erik Ten Hag. Rashford was previously disciplined internally in January after the forward reported ill for training after allegedly being out partying in Belfast the night before.

“Speculatively, on recent activities by Marcus Rashford, you wonder whether it’s a discipline scenario again, and whether something’s happened behind the scenes.

“Ten Hag is apparently extremely old school when it comes to discipline. You’ve got to turn up on time, no mobile phones, rightly so in my opinion. Over the years, I have relaxed on that situation, but I think in his world, that's the way he runs a football club.

“If you breach that then you’re going to have a discipline side to it. It’d have to be much bigger than that, but we know in the past he’s been caught on a night out when he shouldn’t be out. It just breeds up all this speculation again doesn’t it - the whole world blows up. Why is he not playing when he’s scored three goals in two games? Maybe it’s that, it can’t be a rest at this early in the season, and if Marcus Rashford is scoring, Man United need him on the pitch.”

Chris Samba: “I think so. Really, we know that for them, the ultimate challenge is to be, competing in the Champions League. A club of this stature have to be in the Champions League, and that's where it starts to be difficult to attract new players if you're not in the best competition.

“So I think they have to take it [Europa League] seriously now, because it can be a ticket to the Champions League.”