Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford will reportedly be fined two weeks' wages after he was caught partying in a nightclub.
Rashford visited a nightclub in Belfast on Thursday, three days ahead of Manchester United's FA Cup fourth-round fixture. Manchester United have decided to punish the forward for partying in Northern Ireland.
Rashford reported being ill after partying
The English forward, who did not feature in the Red Devils' 4-2 win over Newport County on Sunday, is set to lose wages worth £650,000, according to reports in the local media. It is the biggest financial penalty clubs can hand down to players under the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) rules.
The 26-year-old forward reported being ill for the team training on Friday, with the club subsequently blaming his exclusion on his "illness".
"Rashford is absent because he was not well enough to be in the squad, following illness. The England international has instead stayed at Carrington to train, as he recovers," read Man Utd's statement ahead of their FA Cup match on Sunday.
In a pre-match interview at the South Wales stadium, Man Utd head coach Erik ten Hag confirmed Rashford missed training on Friday because he phoned in ill, but also said the trip to the Thompson's Garage nightclub was "an internal matter".
"He reported ill," said Ten Hag, when reporters asked him about Rashford's absence before kick-off against Newport.
Erik ten Hag tight-lipped about Rashford's incident
After the match ended in Newport, the Manchester United boss was asked more about Rashford's nightclub visit. The Dutchman replied: "It's an internal matter. I will deal with it. So, listen [it's an], internal matter."
Ten Hag remained tight-lipped about Rashford's situation after Manchester United's victory in the FA Cup fourth round in Newport. On repeatedly being asked about the England international, Ten Hag's reply remained the same.
Asked if the issue raised more questions than answers, Ten Hag said: "For you, but not for me. It's an internal matter and I will deal with it." When Ten Hag was asked if the young Englishman's incident was proof the "no good" culture he faced when he took over at Manchester United still existed, the boss said: "I don't go there in this case."
During the same post-match interview, when Ten Hag was asked if Rashford lied to him about the nightclub visit, the Dutch coach said: "Maybe more questions about the game."
"I've talked before about it. I think we played a good game and now we move on. We will deal with it, I will deal with it," added Ten Hag.
Meanwhile, this was not Rashford's first breach this season. Ten Hag had criticised the player's "unacceptable" behaviour after going out clubbing following his team's defeat against Manchester City last October. Moreover, Ten Hag dropped Rashford for a game last season after the player had reported to a team meeting late.
Rashford has scored four goals and provided six assists in 26 matches in all competitions for Manchester United in the ongoing campaign. He was on the score sheet in his side's last two Premier League games.
Manchester United's FA Cup fifth-round game is scheduled to take place on Feb. 28 and their opponents are yet to be decided.
Ten Hag and Co, meanwhile, are next in action on Thursday as they travel to West Midlands to take on Wolves at Molineux Stadium in the Premier League. Liverpool will look to carry the winning momentum to their upcoming game as they have just one victory in the last five games in the Premier League.
With 32 points in 21 matches, Manchester United are placed eighth in the 2023-24 Premier League table. The Red Devils are 11 points away from a top-four place and 16 points behind table-toppers Liverpool FC.
