RUBEN AMORIM SACKED: WILL MARCUS RASHFORD RETURN TO MANCHESTER UNITED NOW?
Marcus Rashford signals a permanent Barcelona stay as Ruben Amorim is sacked by Man Utd. Explore the MR14 2026 resurgence and stats.
Marcus Rashford has made no secret of how excited he feels about the year ahead, especially now that Manchester United has sacked Ruben Amorim. Right now, Rashford’s loving his season-long loan at Barcelona. He’d pushed to leave Old Trafford last summer, hoping for a fresh start.
Things hadn’t exactly gone his way under Amorim. Rashford lost his spot in the team and headed to Aston Villa, hungry for regular minutes. That move never turned permanent, though, and Rashford kept searching for consistent game time. Eventually, he landed in Barcelona.
Under Hansi Flick, Rashford really seems to be thriving. Meanwhile, back in Manchester, the club had another wild ride, capped off by Amorim’s sacking on Monday.
So, it’s another shake-up for United. Darren Fletcher is stepping in as interim manager, at least for the midweek trip to Burnley.
Rashford has bagged seven goals in 25 games for Barcelona so far. He recently talked about how fired up he feels for the rest of the year, as his loan spell in Spain winds down.
On Instagram, he wrote, “As 2025 comes to a close, I’m grateful for a year of change and self-reflection. Stepping into 2026 feeling excited, motivated, and ready to be ambitious both in sport and life. MR14.”
Back when Amorim was in charge, Rashford barely got a look in—just six appearances and two goals. Amorim even left him out of the Manchester derby, which was a huge call. That match turned around thanks to Amad, who led United to a comeback win over City.
Rashford’s last game for United was a Europa League trip to Viktoria Plzen. He got subbed off before the hour mark with United behind. Rasmus Hojlund ended up scoring twice and saving the day.
Rashford has said before he’d love to stay at Barcelona. Speaking to Sport, he opened up: “I’m adapting very well to the club and the city. From the moment I arrived, everyone welcomed me. I’m here to help the team win trophies.
“Last season was fantastic, but things change quickly, and the goal is to repeat those successes. I’m totally focused on that. The staff and my teammates are fantastic—I can’t complain.
“Of course, I want to stay at Barca. That’s the end goal, but that’s not why I train hard every day. The purpose is to win. Barca is a huge club, built to win titles.”
He continued, “There’s pressure here, but it’s the kind of pressure you want as a player. I need to be somewhere with big expectations. It’s hard to be motivated if the demands aren’t high.
“I’m in the perfect place to keep growing as a footballer. All I can do is give my best every day and help the team win. We’ll see what next summer brings.”
FORWARD EVOLUTION: ANALYZING MBEUMO’S TRANSITION FROM A RIGHT-WINGER TO A CLINICAL CENTRAL STRIKER
Red Devil revival: Discover why Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville think Bryan Mbeumo is the best signing in the Premier League.
Jamie Carragher can’t say enough good things about Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United’s big signing under Ruben Amorim. In fact, Carragher called Mbeumo “one of the best” in the Premier League this season.
United splashed out over £200 million in Amorim’s last transfer window, bringing in Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and Senne Lammens. All four have made their mark, especially during the team’s recent hot streak under caretaker boss Michael Carrick, who stepped in after Amorim left last month.
Mbeumo and Cunha have quickly become real threats up front, and Sesko just can’t stop scoring, with six goals in seven games since Amorim’s exit. Lammens, meanwhile, has settled in as United’s new No. 1 after his £18 million move from Royal Antwerp. He looks like a smart bit of business.
The turnaround has been dramatic. United have picked up 16 points out of a possible 18 under Carrick, rocketing into the Champions League spots. This, from a team that finished way down in 15th last season.
Carragher, the Liverpool legend, has loved watching United’s revival, and he keeps coming back to Mbeumo as a standout. On Sky Sports, he said, “Bryan Mbeumo came in as almost a right-winger or a right-sided forward in Amorim’s system, and I was surprised to see him go through the middle. But for me, he’s been one of the best signings in the Premier League this season. He just fits Manchester United.”
He added, “Gary Neville always talks about what a United player should be, and honestly, Mbeumo looks the part. He’s got the power and pace to drive you up the pitch, and he’s clinical too. He’s been fantastic, whether he’s leading the line or out wide.”
Neville himself is a big fan, calling Mbeumo “a really solid signing.” He even suggested Arsenal and Chelsea missed a trick by not snapping him up. On the Stick to Football podcast, Neville said, “Looking at it now, Mbeumo probably would have been better for Chelsea and Arsenal than some of the players they signed. Joao Pedro’s been decent, but Mbeumo would have been a sensation for Arsenal. He’s just a good signing for United. I like him a lot.”
Ian Wright agrees and admitted he was “gutted” Mbeumo didn’t end up at Arsenal. “He always looks dangerous,” Wright said. “Absolutely, he would have made Arsenal stronger.”
United just edged out Everton 1-0 on Monday night and are gearing up to face Crystal Palace next. After the win, Carrick said, “We had to work for it. Credit to Everton; they made it tough and forced us to defend our box a lot. The way we dug in was top class. Keeping a clean sheet is fantastic. We know we can play better, but it’s satisfying to come away from home and get the win.”
GARY NEVILLE SPEAKS OUT: UNITED URGED TO FIND "TOP CLASS" MANAGER DESPITE CARRICK'S SUCCESS
Unbeaten but uncertain! Discover why Gary Neville wants Manchester United to find an elite manager despite Carrick's success.
Gary Neville thinks Manchester United needs to look for a new manager, even though Michael Carrick’s done a great job as interim head coach. Since Carrick took over, United haven’t lost in the Premier League. They’ve beaten City, Arsenal, Spurs, and Fulham, and only just drew with West Ham. You can see the team has turned a corner, and plenty of fans want Carrick to get the job full-time.
Still, Neville says United should go after the “best class of manager available.” He’s not ruling Carrick out, especially if the team grabs a Champions League spot, but he wants the club to aim high.
Before the Everton game on Monday, Neville told Sky Sports, “Manchester United have to go out and find another manager now, because you just don’t know how things will play out." When someone like Thomas Tuchel signs with England, it narrows United’s options. But that’s not a bad thing for Michael; his chances aren’t hurt at all. If he gets United into the Champions League, fans will be desperate for him to stay. I love Michael; I really do. But United needs to go for the top managers. They’ve already tried young, inexperienced options with the last two appointments. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was another ex-player, and it just didn’t work. So now, I think they need to play it safe and cut down on risk.”
Neville also shared that he spoke to the club a few weeks back to make his view clear. He told Sky Sports, “I’ve already said where I stand. I’m not going to repeat it every week, but I did speak to the club because journalists always ask them what’s going on. It’s a tough spot for them. There’s a huge push for Carrick, and the more he wins, the stronger that will get, especially if he gets close to Champions League football.
I asked the club where they stand and what they’re telling people. Honestly, their answer was solid. They said they’ve started the process of looking for a new manager, gathering data, reaching out to people, and just getting on with it. That’s what you need. You have to plan.
But they also told me they’re not going to rush. No matter what happens with results – win, lose, or draw – they’re waiting until the end of the season to make a decision. If Michael’s interested in the job at that point, and honestly, I can see him saying no, because he’s that sort of guy always putting the club first, well, then he can put his name forward. Or maybe he’ll decide he’s ready and wants to stay. Either way, they’re handling it the right way.”