Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has responded to critics who have questioned his commitment to the Premier League club after being dropped for disciplinary reasons this season by manager Erik ten Hag. Rashford’s response comes in light of recent questions raised about his dedication to his boyhood club.

In an interview with The Players Tribune, the England forward discussed how the ever-escalating discussions about his form, family, and off-field activities have affected him mentally. He further stressed how the nature of the criticisms has led him to refrain from his usual ignorance towards the media.

“I don’t normally like to respond to things said about me. It’s not in my nature. I’m an introvert… But if you ever question my commitment to Man United, that’s when I have to speak up,” Rashford said.

The 26-year-old’s 2023-2024 Premier League campaign has been dismal from the very start, a far cry from the figures he boasted in 2022-2023. Rashford has managed to score only 5 goals and provide 3 assists in his 25 Premier League appearances this season. Furthermore, he has failed to convert any opportunities in other competitions for United.

With United’s dire form this year, currently sitting 6th in the Premier League table, a significant portion of the blame has been directed towards Rashford by both fans and pundits alike. Rashford, who scored a career-high 30 goals last season but has only scored five for United this season, believes the media has treated him unfairly.

“You know what, though? If I’m honest, a part of me doesn’t mind it when people doubt me…Whenever I’ve been in my darkest of places, and it feels like half the world is against me, I tend to go off by myself for a couple of days and reset…every single time I’ve been down, physically or mentally, I always feel like that’s when I turn it around and play my best football for United and England,’ Rashford added.

Rashford recently came under a lot of fire for his alleged partying in Belfast which saw him unable to feature in United’s fourth-round FA Cup tie against Newport County. There has also been increased talk of Rashford making a big-money move away from the club, which he has denied.