Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has said Marcus Rashford and Casemiro were free to do what they wanted during the international break.
Former United captain Gary Neville criticised the pair’s trip after Rashford was photographed watching an NBA game between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden.
The Brazilian posted pictures of himself and his family at Disney World on social media platform Instagram.
However, Neville wrongly suggested Rashford had flown via Portland. Neither player travelled via the city and he has now apologised while asking the new Man United boss for his opinion.
“I have to ask you this because I had made a comment this week about Casemiro and Marcus Rashford travelling to America in their few days off,” Neville said on Sky Sports.
“I did get it wrong. They went to New York rather than Portland, so I apologise for that, but it’s still five or six hours’ time difference. They are on planes. Are you comfortable with that?”
“I think the main question here is, as the club, we have to set the standards, and we have to manage that,” Amorim replied.
“It is my decision – if they can have five days, as a coach, or three days. If there are three days to rest, you cannot fly. This is something that as a club we have to decide.
“We cannot put these on the players. They told them they have five days off, so they can fly anywhere because nobody in the club says you cannot fly.”
Given that they had enough days to rest, having not been involved with their respective national teams, the Man United duo were at liberty to go anywhere they wanted as long as they reported back to Carrington on time.
Amorim reportedly warned the players in meetings this week about their lifestyles away from the pitch and what is expected of them as professionals, but he knows he cannot decide where they go during their time off.
Man United visit Ipswich Town on Sunday in Amorim’s game as the new Red Devils boss, and both Rashford and Casemiro will be desperate to impress.
The English forward was mostly in the news for all the wrong reasons while Erik ten Hag was manager, and he cannot afford to get into Amorim’s bad books.
Article written by Alani.