"I was one of the world's worst but I always made it to training" - Paul Merson weighs in on Rashford controversy at Manchester United
Paul Merson has told Marcus Rashford that he should've at least attended training after the Manchester United superstar called in sick.
Rashford was in the headlines this week after being left out of the Red Devils' squad for their 4-2 win against Newport County in the FA Cup fourth round. It was initially thought that the English forward was dealing with illness.
However, The Daily Mail reported that the 26-year-old had been on a 12-hour binge drinking session in Belfast on Thursday (January 25). He allegedly got into bed in the early hours of Friday morning.
Rashford then called in sick for first-team training on Friday and he missed Sunday's win against Newport. Manchester United eventually released a statement claiming the player had 'taken responsibility' for his actions.
Merson recalled his past playing days with Arsenal when giving his take on the controversy regarding Rashford missing training. He told Sky Sports:
"I was one of the world's worst but I always made it to training that's one thing I did do...If he'd come into training and not even trained it would've been nipped in the bud."
Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag dealt with a similar situation earlier this season. The Dutch coach banished Jadon Sancho from his first team due to the player hitting back at his claims he'd underperformed in training.
Merson touched on this while suggesting that Rashford's case is closed:
"But it's nipped in the bud now I think they've sorted it out. I think Ten Hag's learned with the Sancho one where that just drifted on this one's been nipped in the bud."
Sancho struggled throughout his time at Manchester United before rejoining Borussia Dortmund on loan last month. That hasn't been the case for Rashford as he's one of the club's protagonists.
Merson acknowledged this:
"You need to remember though they need Rashford, they didn't need Sancho, they need Rashford."
Rashford put his off-the-field troubles behind him in Manchester United's 4-3 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday (February 1). He scored a superb opener to grab his fifth goal of the season.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag explains why he treated Marcus Rashford differently to Jadon Sancho
Rashford was immediately reinstated not only into Ten Hag's first team but also his starting XI against Wolves following his indiscipline. He was reportedly fined two weeks' wages (£650,000) as punishment.
Meanwhile, Sancho was given different treatment after he came to loggerheads with Ten Hag by going public in denial about his manager's claims. The English winger was exiled from Manchester United's first team and didn't play again after being dropped in August.
Ten Hag explained why the two situations differed by alluding to Sancho's now-deleted statement on his social media account (via Metro):
"We can sort out everything internally. Jadon chose to go public."
Sancho departed back to Dortmund on loan in the January transfer window. He's been a regular for the Bundesliga side since, making three appearances with two assists.