Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney doubts Marcus Rashford’s claim that the club’s environment affected his performance.
Rashford scored 138 goals in 426 appearances for United since debuting in 2016 and helped the club win five major trophies.
He netted 30 goals across all competitions in 2022-23 but struggled to match that form afterwards. He fell out of favour and spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa.
Rashford now thrives on loan at Barcelona. In a recent interview, he said he had endured an “inconsistent environment for a very long time.”
Rooney challenges the environment argument
Speaking on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, Rooney rejected the idea that the surroundings caused Rashford’s struggles.
“I think the environment hasn’t been right, but that depends on yourself,” Rooney said. “If you do not perform or get left out, it is easier to blame the environment. That reaction comes from how you apply yourself.”
Rooney added, “In games where we know he can do more and run more, that has nothing to do with the environment. I might be wrong, I really like Marcus as a person, but that is an easy excuse to throw at people.”
Pressure builds on Liverpool ahead of Man United clash
The Premier League returns this weekend after the international break with Manchester United visiting fierce rivals Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday (16:30 BST).
United have shown inconsistent form this season, while Ruben Amorim’s Liverpool side won three of their last five games. The defending champions have lost their previous three matches in all competitions.
Rooney said, “If Liverpool lose four games in a row and drop points to Manchester United at Anfield, the pressure is definitely on them. Bringing in many new players, all with egos and wanting to perform, has made building chemistry challenging. The first five wins in the Premier League masked that issue, but the last three games exposed the problems. This is a good reset time for Liverpool.”
