Marcus Rashford feels Man Utd legends are ‘bullying’ him as worrying claim made hours before Southampton clash

Marcus Rashford is reportedly feeling targeted by former Manchester United players who he believes are ‘bullying’ him, and he considers the recent criticism to be ‘beyond fair’.

At 26 years old, Rashford has had a rough start to the season following a challenging 2023/24 campaign. Last year, he netted only eight goals across all competitions, a stark contrast to his career-high 30 goals in the 2022/23 season. This underwhelming performance resulted in his exclusion from England’s Euro 2024 squad, where the team ended as runners-up to Spain.

United fans had hoped the summer break would help Rashford regain his form, but he has yet to score in the first three Premier League matches of the new season. Rashford has faced criticism from former United players like Gary Neville and Roy Keane.

According to a source close to Rashford, he feels unfairly singled out compared to his teammates. The source told the i that while others’ mistakes often go unnoticed, Rashford’s errors receive disproportionate scrutiny. “The criticism directed at him feels like an onslaught, almost bullying. Fans tend to believe the negative comments from former players, which exacerbates the situation,” the source said. They also noted that despite the club’s £100 million investment in central strikers, Rashford is playing out wide and performing his role, with the blame for missed chances not lying solely on him.

These comments are likely to be an unwelcome distraction for United manager Erik ten Hag ahead of Saturday’s match against Southampton. The Red Devils are currently 14th in the Premier League after losing two of their first three games, including a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool before the international break. Ten Hag will hope Rashford can end his goalless streak against Southampton, who are second-bottom in the table and have lost all three of their matches since returning to the top flight, conceding five goals in the process.