Wayne Rooney has hit back at Marcus Rashford’s remarks after the forward claimed an ‘unstable atmosphere’ at Manchester United affected his displays for the Red Devils. The attacker featured in merely six matches under Ruben Amorim last season before securing a loan switch to Aston Villa during the January transfer window.
This summer saw him complete another temporary departure from Old Trafford, this time linking up with Spanish heavyweights Barcelona. He’s thriving in Catalonia with three goals and five assists across his 10 appearances for the Catalan giants this term. Rashford has found his way back into the England squad and over the international break delivered his controversial statements about United.
“For sure, consistency is a massive part of it. I feel like I have been in an inconsistent environment for a very long time, so it is even more difficult to be consistent,” Rashford told ITV.
“But I completely agree, I think consistency is what I need to bring into my game, and I am looking to do that. I want to be at my best, not sometimes, but as often as possible.
“When people talk about consistency, in order to be consistent in anything, not just sport, you need consistent variables in your life and the way you train. We have just had so many changes so far in my career.
“But I have to look forward, and that is definitely one of the things I want to put right and improve on to be at my best more often. When I am at my best, I really enjoy everything about the sport.”
Rooney has now given his take on Rashford’s comments, with the former United skipper choosing to focus on the player rather than the ‘environment’.
“I think the environment hasn’t been right but that is down to yourself,” he stated on The Wayne Rooney Show.
“If you are not playing well or you get left out of the team then I think it is easier to blame the environment and whether that is right or wrong. I think that comes from how you apply yourself.
“In games we have seen with him where we know he can do more, we know he can run more – that is nothing to do with an environment.
“I might be wrong here, I really like Marcus as a lad and as a person but I think that is an easy one to throw at people.”