RASH CLEARED FOR MOLINEUX

Belfast the previous evening. Rashford, understood to have been fined two weeks’ wages, missed Sunday’s FA Cup trip to Newport but will return to training and is in the frame for the trip to Molineux.

A brief statement from the club read: “Marcus has taken responsibility for his actions. This has been dealt with as an internal disciplinary matter, which is now closed.”

Reds boss Erik ten Hag had refused to discuss Rashford’s absence before the 4-2 victory at Newport. “He reported ill and the rest is an internal matter,” he insisted.

He failed to expand on the issue after the game, adding: “It is an internal matter. We will deal with it. I will deal with it.”

Rashford arrived at United’s Carrington training ground in his Lamborghini yesterday for showdown talks with Ten

Hag. But the player’s behaviour has been questioned by former Old Trafford captain Rio Ferdinand, who also wondered whether Ten Hag can trust his players not to make headlines for the wrong reasons.

Ferdinand (above), speaking on his Five channel, said: “It’s not ideal preparation for training. You have to have that self-awareness and say, ‘Am I putting myself in a position where people could pick at me?’ or ‘I could be tripped over here’.

“Right now, Marcus should be the guy that’s leading the team. He has gone outside of the boundaries that have been set.

“There’s a lot of noise around the club. You’re one of the experienced players now, so keep that noise down. That’s your duty – you’re one of the leaders.

“It’s trust. Can the manager trust that these players aren’t going to be front, middle and backpage headlines? You can’t trust them at the moment to just allow him to focus on football.”