Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has given Marcus Rashford a damning public dressing down – claiming he would rather bench the club's goalkeeping coach than the striker for effort.
Rashford was again left out of United's squad for the 1-0 win over Fulham, in which Amorim's side scored through Lisandro Martinez's deflected shot – their only shot on target.
The England international has not been in United's squad for a Premier League game for nearly two months and Amorim says Rashford does not give the impression of someone who “does his best every day”.
With a week to go until the January transfer window closes, Amorim said “if things don't change, I won't change” regarding Rashford's status in the United squad.
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“The reason is always the same: training, the way I see a footballer should work in life. It's every day, every detail,” Amorim told his post-match press conference at Craven Cottage on why Rashford was unavailable .
“If things don't change, I won't either. It's the same situation for every player, if you work hard and correctly we can use every player.
“You can see on the bench that we lack a bit of pace on the bench. But I would put (Man Utd goalkeeping coach Jorge) Vital ahead of a player who doesn't give his maximum every day.”
Later on Sunday, Rashford posted a 'well done' message on his Instagram story, congratulating his team-mates on the win.
Man Utd goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital is 63 years old
United goalkeeping coach Vital, who moved to Old Trafford in November alongside Amorim from Sporting CP, is 63 years old.
Amorim: Man Utd lack pace and power up front, we have problems scoring goals
Rasmus Hojlund has struggled to make an impact at Fulham
Amorim's comments about Rashford came after the United boss admitted his side are still struggling to score goals this season – and that his side lack “pace and power up front”.
At Craven Cottage on Sunday, United had to wait 42 minutes for their first shot on goal – a tame half-chance from Matthijs de Ligt – and also failed to score from open play in the first half for the 12th successive Premier League match.
With Rasmus Hojlund sent off near the hour mark after taking a low tackle and his substitute Joshua Zirkzee touching the ball just eight times in the remaining half an hour, Amorim admits there is room for improvement in his forward line.
Asked if scoring was a problem for his team, Amorim said TNT Sports: “I think so. Even in the second half we wanted to change something, we lack a bit of pace and power up front.
“But it is what it is. We have to have ball creators, more chances. We struggle a lot in these details. But a win helps us improve a lot.”
Asked if he expected more help from the remaining week of the transfer window, Amorim replied: “We have to be careful. Even the rules here, we have to follow the rules.
“We've made (transfer) mistakes in the past, we can't do that now. We're focused on improving the team, let's see. Let's focus on the players we have and focus on the next game.”
Amorim is not sure about Garnacho's future
Alejandro Garnacho (right) may not be at Man Utd after the transfer deadline
Amorim also remained tight-lipped about the future of Alejandro Garnach, who started in the win over Fulham before coming on for United's winner.
Garnacho has been the subject of interest from Napoli and Chelsea, with United potentially tempted to sell the academy graduate to raise 'net profit' funds to help comply with their Profit and Sustainability (PSR) rules.
“Nobody knows. Anything can happen,” Amorim said of whether Garnacho could leave before the Feb. 3 deadline.
“He's improving in every part of the game, the way they recover, understanding the game when they defend.
“I'm trying to find the best position for him, today he played a little more open, not so much inside. We need guys one on one, but I don't know what will happen.”
Analysis: The feeling of victory – but United's problems are still visible
Lisandro Martinez celebrates scoring Manchester United's winner against Fulham
Sky Sports' Pete Smith at Craven Cottage:
Amorim stressed the importance of results over performance ahead of Man Utd's 1-0 win at Fulham and his hope that the momentum to grab three away points can give his side a boost.
They certainly looked like they needed him for much of this game. United's caution was clear as they defended in numbers and looked for a safe option in possession. Before the game, it was noticeable that Fulham were on the list of favorites – and the guests played until the end.
This result will not mask the problems that Amorim must solve. He himself noted the lack of impact in the final period, and question marks over both Hojlund and his replacement Zirkzee remain.
Garnacho, a player they could sell before the deadline, looked the most likely to provide a spark amid an otherwise uninspiring attack. Fulham, despite their poor attacking record, almost exposed that well-documented United weakness late on.
Still, with a Europa League trip to Bucharest on Thursday, followed by home games against Crystal Palace and then Leicester in the FA Cup, there may be a chance for United to build some positive momentum to improve their short-term prospects. The bigger picture remains a major work in progress.