Ten Hag, Rashford & Redknapp: Debunking the conspiracy - the mishap made by Man Utd's manager

Following the news of Rashford being benched before kickoff, Redknapp, the former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder, suggested that Ten Hag's decision to leave him out of the starting lineup may have been motivated by more than just rotation.

“It feels like something untoward has gone on," Redknapp claimed. "You don’t drop a player that’s scored two in midweek and one against Southampton. It feels like something has happened this week.”

No sources. No real study of the events. It was pure clouds-in-the-sky stuff. Just pulled out of thin air. A civvi. A fan online. If they were to raise such a suggestion, they'd be branded a troll. But an ex-player on the box...? Well, apparently, it's all the stuff of Teflon. Though not for Ten Hag...

“I heard already speculation from some pundits," declared the Dutchman post-match. "That is crazy.

“I would almost say that, as a person, you are not OK when you bring such speculation if you don’t know. This has nothing to do with it.

“I’m very happy with Marcus, with everything. 

“So there is nothing to do with it that he was on the bench, just rotation. We have many games to cover. We have more than a starting 11 of players. If the players perform, we will give them their chances.” 

For what it's worth, this column backs Ten Hag in his explanation. But not in his original choice. He has every right to be angry. As we say, no source, no evidence, Redknapp was just stirring for the sake of it. And from a place of authority. When you consider what Rashford's family has been telegraphing to the media since preseason about the pressure he's been under, Redknapp's rumour-mongering was a disgrace.

But that's not to say Ten Hag's decision was a good one. It wasn't. The Dutchman blundered.

As regulars of this column will know, we're a big believer in momentum. Flow. And going into the clash at Palace, it was all falling into place for Rashford. Three goals in two games. Three goals in four days. Rashford had the hot-hand. For the sake of his form. For the sake of United's chances. Marcus Rashford had to start on Saturday.

That Ten Hag withdrew his attacker from the frontline was an error. Not so much a bad call, but the wrong one. Claims of rotation just don't jive for a senior player at this stage of the season - and one not involved in international week. Rashford was fresh. Fit. And on fire. Ten Hag shouldn't have tinkered. 

Yes, Rashford's replacement, Alejandro Garnacho, was bright, sharp. The Argentina international hitting the crossbar in the first-half, while also twice bringing the best out of former teammate Dean Henderson between the posts for Palace. But what difference would an in-form Rashford have made in such positions? The sharper reactions. The quicker response. The flow. Those little details - at the crunch - matter so much...

Eventually, Rashford did get onto the pitch in the second-half. But he was anonymous. Played centrally by Ten Hag instead of his favoured inside-left role, Rashford was back to his '23/24 self - chasing shadows and little else. You do hope this call from the manager hasn't suddenly burst his No10's balloon.

As we say, the wrong decision. But that's all it was. Ten Hag fought hard for Rashford. He's stuck with the England international, even when undermined by that Belfast bash last season. The Dutchman never wavering in his public support, no matter how out-of-sorts Rashford appeared in games. And to be fair to the player, that show of loyalty has been reciprocated, which has come also from those closest to him.

"I am 100% convinced that he can achieve the same result as two years ago," declared Ten Hag a week before the season kicked off. 

And that mutual commitment was just bearing fruit this past week when the manager chose to zig instead of zag. It was a baffling decision. A frustrating one. But there was no conspiracy behind it. No hidden meaning. By benching Marcus Rashford at Selhurst Park, Ten Hag simply made the wrong call.