Marcus Rashford admits “emotion got the better of me” after a “silly” reaction to being heckled by a Manchester United supporter.
After exiting Old Trafford following defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16, fans greeted United players with criticism and Rashford was specifically targeted for his performance as a substitute.
The video has been shared on social media, with Rashford, entering the game low on confidence after a tough run of form, seen turning back towards the fan in an effort to confront him before being convinced by security to walk away.
And in a statement, Rashford explained his reaction to his fans: “A video can paint a thousand words and in this case lead to inaccurate info being shared on social media.
“Guys for weeks I've been heckled, threatened, questioned and last night my emotion got the better of me.
“I'm a human being. Reading and hearing that stuff about yourself every day it wears you down.
“No one is more critical of my performance than me. But what you see in this video lacks context. I had been heckled from the minute I stepped foot outside the ground, abuse not just aimed at my football. People were looking for a reaction from me.
“Phones were at the ready. Of course I should have walked straight past and ignored it, that's what we're supposed to do right? I want to clarify two things. The first being what I actually said to the man throwing abuse at me which was, "come over here and say it to my face" (a fact security can back up), and secondly, the fact I used my forefinger to direct the fan to “come over and say it to my face”.
“I did not gesture with my middle finger. I'm not entitled. This isn't ego. I'm upset. I'm disappointed. And in the moment it was silly but I was being human.”
