Gary Neville makes bold Man Utd dressing claim amid Marcus Rashford 'internal matter'

Gary Neville believes people in the Manchester United dressing room could be conspiring against Marcus Rashford in the media, following yet more headlines surrounding the forward.

Rashford was fined two week's wages and dropped for the FA Cup win over Newport County after a late night out in Belfast forced him to call in sick for training on Friday. ManchesterWorld understands that United were misled regarding the 26-year-old's whereabouts, believing he flew home on Thursday.

Erik ten Hag insisted the 'internal matter' has been dealt with and Rashford will be available for this evening's Premier League trip to Wolves. But reports since the night out have suggested that senior members of the squad are unhappy with the forward's discipline.

“Reading the headlines in the newspapers and the stories, it feels to me that there’s a few people briefing against him,” Neville told Stick To Football. “There are things in there that his team-mates are sick of him, he’s distant in the dressing room.

“There’s things that have come out that mean there are people in the dressing room – or connected to the dressing room. Sometimes you think about support in the dressing room – who is grabbing a hold of him in that dressing room and saying, ‘Sort your s*** out’.”

The squad were initially informed that Rashford was ill in the build-up to last weekend's FA Cup clash but after learning of his trip to Belfast, where he attended a nightclub late in the night, grew frustrated. United's only chance at winning a trophy this season lies with the FA Cup, following elimination from the Carabao Cup and Champions League.

Rashford has previously been criticised for his decision to attend a city centre nightclub after the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in October. He was celebrating his birthday that evening but former players and pundits suggested a more low key affair may have been more appropriate.

The England star was disciplined by Ten Hag last season as well, dropping to the bench for United's previous trip to Molineux after turning up late to a team meeting. However, he did come on that day and score the winner, one of 30 goals across all competitions during that campaign. Rashford currently has just four goals to his name this season.