Erik ten Hag defends decision to start Marcus Rashford on the bench at Palace

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Erik ten Hag defended his decision to start Marcus Rashford on the bench after Manchester United played out a goalless draw at Crystal Palace.

Rashford was introduced in the 61st minute at Selhurst Park, where midway through the first half Alejandro Garnacho – the man who had taken his starting place – hit the crossbar seconds before Bruno Fernandes did the same.

Palace grew into the contest after the break and remained in the hunt largely thanks to an excellent effort from goalkeeper Dean Henderson against his former club.

Ten Hag said: “There’s already some speculation and some pundits’ (remarks) and that’s crazy.

“As a person you are not OK when you bring such speculation if you don’t know what’s going on.

“This is just rotation. We have many games to cover and we have more than 11 players and we have to give all the players, if they perform, we will give them the chances.

“And finally we will find out, of course, the players who perform better and who will play more.

“This has nothing to do… I’m very happy with Marcus, with everything. With his defending part, offensive, he scores in this moment.

“He performs very good and so nothing to do (with him) that he was on the bench, just rotation.”

United dominated the first half, limiting the hosts to just one shot on target from Ebere Eze shortly before the break.

Palace regrouped for the second half, when Henderson made perhaps his best stop of the evening, a leaping save to deny Garnacho.

It was then Andre Onana’s turn to make the highlights package as he first denied Eddie Nketiah then substitute Ismaila Sarr’s follow-up from close range, a double save hailed by his manager as “brilliant”.

The contest was more eventful than the scoreline ultimately suggested, with six shots on target and 15 overall for the visitors to four and nine respectively from the hosts.

Ten Hag felt that “the only thing I can criticise is we were not clinical enough in the box, not decisive enough.”

But asked if, in retrospect, Rashford might have found the finishing touch on one of his side’s missed opportunities, the boss replied: “I have to say Amad (Diallo) is playing good, Garnacho, all the games so far, apart from maybe Liverpool, he has end product.

“We have to play them as well.”

Palace, who clinched a league double over United for the first time in their history last season, remain in search of their first win of the new campaign.

After losing to Brentford and West Ham, the Eagles have now drawn three times in a row.

Oliver Glasner demanded more bravery from his men during a half-time talk after he felt they were losing their “personality”  in the opening period.

He said: “The first half was how we don’t want to play in any part of the game, out of possession, in possession, set plays.

“In the second half we switched the mindset just to play with more courage, and then we made more runs in behind and went more direct to their goal.

“(The first half) we were a bit too cautious, too scared of whatever, but it’s very positive we could switch this.

“When Crystal Palace plays Manchester United I think there are always times when Crystal Palace has to suffer, and we had to suffer in the first half.

“But there are moments to come back, and we had those moments today. I think also, to be honest, three points would have been too much today.”