Mourinho’s Resurfaced Critique of Martial, Rashford
During Mourinho’s tenure at Manchester United, lasting two and a half years, the team achieved considerable success, securing two major trophies and finishing as runners-up in 2018. Mourinho regarded this latter accomplishment as one of his best, given the squad’s quality at that time. He remains arguably the most successful manager for United post-Sir Alex Ferguson, contrasting with the current struggles under the management of Erik ten Hag.
Despite the time that has passed, a few players from Mourinho’s era at Old Trafford are still part of the squad. Recent scrutiny on the performances of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford during Manchester United’s defeat against Newcastle United has brought back attention to damning comments Mourinho made six years ago after a loss to Brighton.
In a video resurfaced on X, Mourinho had criticized the performance of Martial and Rashford in a match where neither Romelu Lukaku nor Alexis Sanchez, his preferred choices, were available due to injuries. He questioned the commitment of Martial and Rashford during a crucial period when United aimed for a top-two finish in the league.
Now, Martial and Rashford remain key figures at Old Trafford. Despite glimpses of brilliance, their consistency has been a point of contention among fans, who express growing discontent over repeated chances given to underperforming players.
On social media, fans reacted to Mourinho’s past comments resurfacing, with some echoing Mourinho’s sentiments about the players’ performances during that match against Brighton.