Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho dropped: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim explains squad omissions for Man City derby | Football news

Ruben Amorim has issued a warning to any Manchester United player who does not live up to his standards, claiming he is “paying attention to everything” after Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were left out of his squad for the Manchester derby.

There had been rumors on Saturday evening that Manchester United’s starting line-up against Manchester City had been leaked well before the official announcement.

The squad doing the rounds on social media proved to be spot on, with Garnacho and Rashford not in the starting XI.

Amorim is likely to be far from happy to learn that his starting line-up was in the public eye a day before the game – but there is no suggestion that either Rashford or Garnacho were responsible for the leak.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the match, Amorim said: “We try to evaluate everything, training performance, game performance, engagement with teammates, pushing their teammates up.

“Everything is at stake when we analyze and try to select the players. That’s my choice. Simple.

“I don’t want to send a message, it’s simply an evaluation and they know it. The players are really, really smart. Everyone understands my decision and I have to choose. It’s simple choice.

“Obviously the context is difficult because we have to win games and we have a difficult situation now. I pay attention to everything, the way you eat, the way you put on your clothes to go to a game. Everything. I make my assessment and then I decide.

“There is a communication after the last practice. They are okay. They had practice this morning (Sunday) and I was there. They practiced really well.”

Keane: Rashford omission not a surprise

Sky Sports’ Roy Keane said of Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford’s omissions: “It’s a big call.

“Obviously he’s seen something he doesn’t like. But for those who have watched Manchester United recently, it’s not a big surprise because both players have been poor. He’s said ‘Enough is enough’.”

“It’s a big call but I like to see it – he’s set a marker. A move for Marcus (Rashford) would suit the player – a new challenge for him. He’s been there a long time. When you’re at a big club and your attitude is not right – and it hasn’t been great recently – sometimes it’s good to part ways.”

Micah Richards added: “It’s sad for a local boy in Rashford, who is supposed to be the talisman of this team… to see the way his career has turned out in the last few years.

“We saw he had a couple of good seasons and we thought now is the time for him to be a leader and now to not be involved in the derby you imagine he is devastated.

“There’s a player in there but it can’t help that the manager is always changing. It’s a sad story for a player of that quality.”