Amorim and Man United must get rid of 'downcast' Marcus Rashford in January

The Red Devils did not miss the academy graduate in the Derby, and it makes little sense to prolong an unhappy marriage for another six months.

Ruben Amorim.

Getty Images Sport 

To make matters worse for Rashford, United defeated Manchester City 2-1 without him, as Amad Diallo cemented his reputation as the club's finest winger. The spectacular Ivorian won the penalty, which Bruno Fernandes converted to tie the score, before delivering a beautiful run and finish to complete the visitors' amazing late comeback, putting them back in contention for the Champions League.

Amorim's tough decision to release Rashford paid off. To say the 27-year-old "hasn't been great recently" is an understatement, and a move away would "suit" United, ideally as soon as possible.

Rashford is no longer a treasured academy product; he is a waste of space and does not deserve to be a part of Amorim's transformation at Old Trafford.

When asked why he dropped Rashford and wayward Argentine attacker Alejandro Garnacho before kick-off at the Etihad, Amorim told Sky Sports: "I pay attention to everything, the way you eat, the way you dress to go to a game. Everything. I evaluate, then decide."

The inference is clear: both guys have fallen short of the manager's expectations for dedication and overall effort in some way. If it had been a tactical decision based only on current form, they would have been among the substitutes.

After the game, Amorim was even more adamant about Rashford's case, citing INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe's extraordinary cost-cutting initiatives at all levels of the club in recent months. "You understand, for so long we've tried something with Rash, and it doesn't work," he told the journalists. "Should we continue to do the same thing or try something new?" It's that simple. They must work hard. They trained quite hard today. It was not a disciplinary issue. Next week, next game, fresh beginnings... When we want to make a lot of changes, and people in the club are losing their positions, they must battle for their spot on the squad."

Amorim is not the first coach to call for more "fight" from Rashford. He will continue to disappoint the Portuguese strategist, just as he has Erik ten Hag, Ralf Rangnick, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Jose Mourinho. Rashford has already used up all of his nine lives, and the ongoing conjecture about his mental state is only serving as a distraction.