Pundits challenge Mourinho’s stats on Rashford
Jose Mourinho may have defended himself by proving Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has ample playing time under his charge, but pundits are still not convinced.
Former United defender Rio Ferdinand has said that the United manager doesn't trust Rashford and that the 20-year-old has often been used out wide rather than through the middle as a striker.
BT Sport pundit Ferdinand believes that the rising star, who is expected to start in the Champions League tie against Young Boys tomorrow morning (Singapore time), needs regular starts in the way notable stars have had, Eurosport reported.
"If I am Marcus Rashford and someone says to me, 'Do you think your manager believes in you as his main, best striker and that he will build his team around you?' I would say, 'No. Because I am not starting every game'," Ferdinand said.
"You can bring me all the minutes in the world, I don't care. I want to walk out on that pitch as the starter. That is when you know - when you go out there to win every game. Harry Kane starts every game. Kylian Mbappe starts every game. Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen started every game."
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who last week said that Rashford should leave United for more regular playing time, reiterated his stance despite Mourinho citing stats to refute the Sky Sports pundit's earlier claims.
The Portuguese manager, during a press conference last week, highlighted that in two seasons, Rashford had played 5,744 minutes in 105 appearances, which amounted to nearly 64 full matches, including five finals.
However, Carragher agreed that Mourinho was spot on with his stats, but he was missing his point that the England centre-forward should leave the club because he wasn't getting much game time as a striker.
"I agree with everything Mourinho said," he told Monday Night Football.
"All of the stats Jose has listed are spot on. But another stat that is spot on is that Rashford has started only 12 times as a centre-forward in the EPL. He burst onto the scene as a striker and said he wants to be a striker.
"I'm not saying Mourinho is wrong and should play Rashford ahead of (Romelu) Lukaku. He shouldn't, Lukaku is better than him - but if that lad wants to play centre-forward, how does he do that? My point was, he may have to move away and then maybe come back, the same as Lukaku did."
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