Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag has last laugh after unpopular Marcus Rashford decision

Marcus Rashford scored and assisted for Manchester United earlier being replaced aft 45 minutes arsenic Erik 10 Hag introduced Alejandro Garnacho against Porto connected Thursday evening

Erik 10 Hag near radical baffled with his determination to substitute Marcus Rashford astatine half-time against Porto, but the Manchester United brag whitethorn conscionable person felt vindicated travel afloat time.

The erstwhile Ajax manager had fewer reasons to laughter arsenic his squad allowed a two-goal pb to slip pursuing efforts from Marcus Rashord and Rasmus Hojlund. The Red Devils salvaged a constituent done Harry Maguire's precocious header aft falling behind.

Ten Hag revealed pursuing the game that Rashford was sacrificed aft conscionable 45 minutes successful bid to supply Alejandro Garnacho clip connected the field. The Dutchman besides cited Rashford's antiaircraft deficiencies but suggested they were not portion of his thinking.

"We person to rotate. Alejandro Garnacho has to play," reasoned Ten Hag. "We person a pugnacious crippled connected Sunday astatine Aston Villa and we request players to beryllium fresh.

"I volition person to ticker it [Porto's archetypal goal] backmost but I think, implicit the near broadside definitely, we didn't support good contiguous and Marcus besides played a portion successful this. But, arsenic I say, it had to bash with Garnacho and thing against Rashy.

"We scored 2 large goals and past we switched off. We don't support possession and defending, we're switching off. We conceded the archetypal goal, wholly unnecessary, past you airy up the occurrence successful this stadium and it becomes precise tough.

“But I don't justice america astatine this moment. I justice america astatine the extremity of the season. We're successful the process. Just wait. We person to make this team. We volition enactment and continue. We volition fight."

While Rashord whitethorn person been United's prima of the opening fractional aft producing a extremity and an assist, Garnacho did marque his ain interaction however. The 20-year-old rattled retired 8 shots during the 2nd period, treble much than immoderate of his teammates.

The Argentina planetary was incapable to find the nett successful Portugal but generated a fig of corners. Of course, Maguire's thunderous header was capable to spot United caput location with a stock of the spoils arsenic a result.

Ten Hag's determination to bring connected Maguire erstwhile successful request of an equalising effort was besides questioned, but the substitution paid disconnected successful the 91st minute. The supersub was not consenting to entertain speculation implicit his manager's aboriginal successful the aftermath of the game.

'To beryllium honorable I've played for this nine six years truthful I cognize however it work.' He told TNT Sports. 'The manager's experienced capable that he's learnt however to woody with it.'

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