Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says he has to be “trusted” over his reasons for dropping Marcus Rashford to the bench for Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace.

Prior to the match Ten Hag said the England forward was returning to his best form after taking control of his career, scoring three times in two games.

But the Dutchman then unexpectedly left Rashford out in favour of Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo, with the 26-year-old replacing Joshua Zirkzee after an hour.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp claimed “there’s obviously something that’s happened” for Ten Hag to leave Rashford out.

That theory was rejected as “crazy” after the game, with Ten Hag saying he was just rotating his squad, adding: “As a person you are not OK when you bring such speculation if you don’t know what’s going on.”

Earlier this week on the Rest is Football podcast, host Gary Lineker and former England striker Alan Shearer also questioned Ten Hag’s decision., external

Asked about the furore around Rashford, before Ten Hag’s side’s opening Europa League game against his boyhood club FC Twente, he said on Tuesday: “I didn’t understand the criticism. People are not entitled to bring speculation.

“If I give an explanation they have to trust my words. If they don’t, that’s not right.”