Jamie Carragher’s defence of Marcus Rashford sparks United revival

Marcus Rashford returned to Old Trafford after his dream permanent transfer to Barcelona collapsed, making his first Manchester United appearance in 20 months against AC Milan on Saturday. The England forward found an unexpected saviour in former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who shut down Gary Neville’s attempts to discuss him.

Why United recalled Rashford

After loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona, Manchester United decided to bring Rashford back. Manager Michael Carrick said, “He’s our player, he’s come back great, just like any other player,” highlighting the forward’s different qualities.

Rashford’s permanent move to Barcelona fell through when teammate Anthony Gordon completed a £70 million transfer to the Camp Nou, leaving no alternative destination for the England striker.

Carrick added that Rashford has been training for two or three days and that his reintegration feels “pretty normal,” noting the forward’s good spirits since his return.

Impact on player and club

The Red Devils suffered a 4‑2 loss in their final pre‑season friendly, but Rashford logged his first minutes for United since December 2024 after coming on against AC Milan on Saturday. Getty captured the moment.

During a podcast, Gary Neville tried to raise Rashford’s comeback, only to be shut down by co‑host Jamie Carragher, who exclaimed, “Oh f****** hell! Can we do a podcast without mentioning Rashford?”

Rashford replied on X, writing, “Thanks, Jamie. It would be great to be able to get my head down and play football without my name being mentioned every day,” adding a crying emoji.

With Man United’s Premier League opener against newly‑promoted Hull just days away, the club appears buoyed by Rashford’s return, despite few expecting him to feature at the start of the season.