Marcus Rashford excluded from Manchester United squad by Ruben Amorim for the third consecutive game

Marcus Rashford (27) was omitted from Manchester United's lineup for their Premier League match against Bournemouth on Sunday, marking the third consecutive game he has been excluded by manager Ruben Amorim amid speculation regarding his future at the club.

The forward seems to have lost his place in the team as he has been unable to regain the form that allowed him to net 30 goals across all competitions during the 2022/23 season.

Earlier this week, Amorim remarked that his team performs "better with Marcus Rashford," yet he emphasized that he has established high expectations for player conduct during training and interactions with teammates.

"Rashford out again? That is my decision, and it will always remain so," Amorim stated in a pre-match interview with Sky Sports. "I aim to see the best from my players, and I experiment with different players, which is my primary focus."

Amorim had previously excluded both Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from his squad for last week's 2-1 derby win over Manchester City. Two days later, Rashford expressed in an interview his readiness for a "new challenge" away from the club.

Although Rashford has scored three goals since Amorim's appointment a month ago, he was substituted in the 56th minute during their 2-1 Europa League victory over Viktoria Plzen on December 12th, with fans booing him as he exited the field. He has not featured in any matches since.

Amorim mentioned last month that he was eager to assist Rashford in regaining his peak performance, but stressed that the player must first demonstrate a desire to improve.

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville commented on Sunday that he doubts Rashford will remain at the club for much longer.

"I suspect we are approaching an inevitable conclusion where he will depart from the club," he told Sky.

Rashford also missed Thursday's 4-3 League Cup quarter-final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.