Ralf arrives at training ... but he’d given players day off

RALF RANGNICK turned up for work at Manchester United and turned straight around again after apparently forgetting he had given his players the day off. United’s interim boss arrived at Carrington on Tuesday morning following the FA Cup win over Aston Villa the previous night to find the training ground largely deserted. He was expecting to see the Covid testing unit in the car park to check players before they enter the complex. ‘He called inside from his car to ask where the testers were and was reminded the players were off. Then he drove away,’ said a club insider. ‘It was the talk of the training ground. The players were all joking about it.’ Some of the players were less amused yesterday to receive their training rota leading up to the winter break later this month, after Rangnick scheduled the less popular 2pm start times. It appears unlikely that a warm-weather training camp in Dubai — planned by previous manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer — will go ahead during the break. There are fears over Covid, while Rangnick also questioned the decision to let Paul Pogba recover from injury in Dubai rather than at Carrington.

MANCHESTER UNITED interim boss Ralf Rangnick has vowed to stand by Marcus Rashford through a difficult spell, as long as the striker continues to give his all in training.

A section of United fans rounded on Rashford during Monday’s FA Cup win over Aston Villa but the German is sympathetic.

‘As a striker, it’s all about playing well, scoring goals and getting assists,’ said Rangnick before today’s Premier League game at Villa. ‘If that doesn’t happen over a period of time, it’s not so easy.

‘But there were quite a few training sessions in the last couple of weeks where he trained on a really high level. As long as he does that, he will always be on my list to play and be in the starting XI.’

Rangnick also backed Cristiano Ronaldo and his other experienced stars to put the younger players straight, after the Portugal star implied they are not always open to advice. ‘If it’s necessary to speak in a direct manner to the boys, it helps a lot,’ said Rangnick.

‘We have enough experienced players who can not only be role models on the pitch but also in conversations in the locker room or the hotel. They are welcome to address the players on the pitch or in the dressing room.’