Erik ten Hag has defended his decision to leave Marcus Rashford out of the squad after Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp criticised Man United’s draw at Crystal Palace.

The striker had scored three goals in his last two games, but United head coach Ten Hag made headlines before the game when he said of Rashford’s upturn in form: “If your lifestyle is not right, you cannot perform in the league where we have to perform.”

“You don’t get to the right level if you don’t lead a good and disciplined life outside of Carrington,” he added of a player who missed two games last season due to off-field problems.

In conversation with Sky Sports Shortly before the match against Palace, Ten Hag insisted that the decision to include Rashford among the substitutes was simply to “rotate” his players.

“It’s not a difficult decision, we have to rotate. We have so many games,” said Ten Hag.

“We also need to give (Alejandro) Garnacho games. He has so many goals and assists from the bench, but has only started once this season.”

“It feels like something has gone wrong,” Redknapp said in response to the team news. “I don’t know the details, but you don’t drop a player who scored two goals in midweek and against Southampton.”

“I would be nervous to say he’s back, but he’s showing signs of the Rashford he was two years ago.

“It feels like maybe something happened this week. I don’t know how frustrated the manager is. It’s unusual for a manager to expose players because of their lifestyle.

“Sir Alex Ferguson would never have done that, whereas Ten Hag has done it a few times. It’s not always to the players’ advantage.”

After the goalless draw, in which Rashford came on as a 61st-minute substitute, Ten Hag said: “There is already speculation (about the reason for Rashford’s omission from the starting line-up). According to experts, there is already speculation.

“As a human being, you are not OK if you make such speculations when you do not know (the situation).”

“That had nothing to do with (what I said in the pre-match press conference). I’m very happy with Marcus. With his defense and his offensive tasks. At the moment he’s scoring goals.”

“It was all about rotation.”

Speaking about Rashford after the game, Redknapp said: “I can only imagine that it was not a pleasure for him to wake up to these headlines. He was probably wondering: ‘Why is the manager bringing this up?'”

“When I first read it, it was almost like we had it figured out and that was the reason Marcus didn’t do so well last year. He didn’t live his life the way a professional athlete should. But obviously it was taken a little differently because he’s left out today. I don’t know what happened this week. Maybe it will come out, maybe it won’t.

“Rotation? He played 63 minutes during the week and scored two goals. You don’t take a player out of the team who has scored two goals. Do you think they will do that with Mo Salah at Liverpool? It’s just not going to happen.

“Something happened that we don’t know exactly about.” Ten Hag denies this.

“But if something isn’t right and he’s not living his life properly, only (Rashford) can get that under control,” Redknapp continued. “You have to make sure you’re always on top of things.”

“I liked going out at night, we all did. But you have to be more careful than ever to live your life properly. In my day, pretty much everyone did that. But not anymore. You have to dedicate your life to football every single day. He has to become the player he was two years ago, when he was winning everything.

“(Last year) he was hard to watch at times. There were certain games where he was trotting and plodding around and it didn’t look like he really cared. Man Utd fans always want you to go out and show that you care because they would give anything to wear that shirt. It will probably just be one day that he looks back and asks himself, ‘Why didn’t I give a bit more sometimes?’

“He has God-given talent, but we need to see the Rashford of two seasons ago.”

What did Ten Hag say about Rashford’s omission before kick-off?

Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag speaking to Sky Sports:

“It’s not a difficult decision, we have to rotate. We have so many games.

“We also need to give (Alejandro) Garnacho games. He has so many goals and assists from the bench, but has only started once this season.”

Jones: Rashford on the bench a surprise

Former Man Utd defender Phil Jones ahead of kick-off on Sky Sports:

“Really surprised. I saw him in the starting lineup, so he was able to build that momentum. I’m sure he’ll play a big role off the bench.”

This is how we reported on the team news

Sky Sports’ Zinny Boswell at Selhurst Park:

“It was obvious that one of the stars of that Barnsley defeat would have to be on the bench, but that it is Marcus Rashford is a surprise.

“Erik ten Hag has made it his goal to give him a chance despite his poor form, but now he seems to have made his breakthrough and the coach is leaving the striker on the bench.

“Perhaps Ten Hag has his eye on the midweek Europa League game against FC Twente. It seems like an odd time to disrupt the striker’s momentum.

“Alejandro Garnacho, who also scored twice during the week, is preferred in the league and returned to the starting line-up after scoring as a substitute at Southampton.”