Man United news: Duo 'should've been sold' as star axed by Ruben Amorim dubbed 'incredible'

Manchester United have endured a difficult start to the season, and it's not just Ruben Amorim who has come in for criticism, with two players also being singled out

Ruben Amorim finds himself experiencing deja vu, with his Manchester United squad unable to shake the disappointing form that plagued them at the close of last season. This is despite United investing £230million on fresh talent during the summer transfer window.

The summer proved hectic, with Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens among those to arrive at Old Trafford. There were plenty of high-profile departures, too - including Marcus Rashford, who secured a loan switch to Barcelona for the remainder of the campaign.

The England international has received acclaim following his transfer, which might prompt Amorim to reconsider his decision to let go of a player who has scored 138 goals for the club. Paul Scholes has also voiced his thoughts regarding Amorim keeping certain players at the club.

Alongside commentary on Rashford's early adaptation to La Liga, two United players have faced criticism from a club legend just one month into the 2025/26 season. Here are our latest updates from Old Trafford.

Rashford described as 'incredible'

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has branded Rashford as "incredible", even though Amorim dropped him from his Manchester United plans. The England forward last featured for his childhood club in December 2024 before being excluded from the squad later that month for the Manchester City fixture.

Rashford, 27, departed United in the very next transfer window joining Aston Villa on loan for the remainder of the campaign and rediscovering something close to his best form. Nevertheless, following his return to Old Trafford this summer, he was among five players informed by Amorim that they needed to secure fresh clubs.

A switch to the Spanish heavyweights materialised for Rashford, who is currently spending the campaign on loan at Barcelona. Barca boss Flick recently said of the forward: "I've been following Marcus Rashford since his early days at Manchester United and I've always thought he's incredible. What I've seen these past few weeks is very good."

Scholes tells duo they're 'not at the level'

With Amorim having pressed for Rashford's departure, the Portuguese manager also sanctioned permanent or loan exits for Andre Onana, Jadon Sancho, Antony, Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho. However, two players who remained have faced criticism from Paul Scholes, who directed his frustration towards Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw, both still at Manchester United.

Maguire, 32, has managed just 41 minutes of Premier League action this campaign, while Shaw, 30, has featured in every match as Scholes bemoaned their lack of physical prowess and argued they fall short of their rivals' standards.

"I don't think the system was the problem against Manchester City. It's more the personnel. United lack real athletes," Scholes told SPORTbible. "In the Premier League, you almost have to be like a machine to survive, and we've got people like Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw.

"They are not at the level. In 85 to 90 per cent of games, they will probably cope with people, but when you come to the bigger games, against City, Liverpool and Arsenal, they are going to fall short."

Scholes also suggested Shaw's fitness record may be a factor, adding: "You think of the injuries Shaw has had.He must have the body of a 40-year-old man because he's had that many injuries and missed that much football.

"If he'd stayed fit, he could've been the best left-back in the world. Now, he's playing left-sided centre-half. He really shouldn't be at the club anymore. He should have left along with Harry Maguire in the summer. United should have brought in one or two new centre-halves."

Scholes suggested that his former club missed a golden opportunity to make a significant profit by not selling Maguire, who looks set to play a minor role for United this season. "Maguire has had so much stick, it's hard to be tough on him because he came back from it," he continued. "But I think they had a chance this summer to sell. They renewed his one-year option. I just didn't understand that.

"It was a great chance for him to leave. They might have got £20 or £30 million for him. It was the ideal time. Maybe because he's good in the dressing room, or good around the place, but football-wise, it's just not right."

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