Ruben Amorim says Man United goalkeeping coach would play over Marcus Rashford

"I prefer Vital over a player who doesn’t give the maximum every day."

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has cast doubt on Marcus Rashford’s future at the club, stating he would sooner field 63-year-old goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital than the England forward.

Rashford, 27, has not featured for United since December 12 and was again left out of the squad for the Red Devils' 1-0 win at Fulham on Sunday.

Amorim explained his decision, saying:

"The reason [Rashford is not playing] is training, what I think a footballer should do in training, in life, and every day.

"If things don’t change, I will not change. I prefer Vital over a player who doesn’t give the maximum every day.”

Despite his omission, Rashford posted a message of support for his teammates on Instagram, writing, “Congratulations on the win lads.”

Meanwhile, Lisandro Martinez’s deflected 78th-minute strike earned United a hard-fought victory at Craven Cottage, moving them up to 12th in the Premier League table.

Amorim acknowledged the team’s performance wasn’t their best, but praised their resilience: "We didn’t play so well with the ball, but we fought for the win and kept a clean sheet."

Fulham manager Marco Silva labelled the result "unfair," citing his side’s strong first-half performance and Joachim Andersen’s late header, which was cleared off the line by United’s Toby Collyer.

Alejandro Garnacho continues to feature for United despite rumours linking him with a move to Chelsea.

Amorim, who turns 40 on Monday, admitted uncertainty about the winger’s future:

"Nobody knows, anything can happen. He’s improving in every department, but we’ll see what happens before the transfer window closes.”

With the January transfer window nearing its end, United’s squad dynamics—and Rashford’s future—will remain a talking point in the coming days.