‘It was a mistake’ - Gary Neville gives verdict on Marcus Rashford’s ‘unacceptable’ night out

Gary Neville has said Marcus Rashford made a ‘mistake’ in visiting a nightclub last week after Manchester United’s derby loss.

Just hours after the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, the Red Devils’ Mancunian forward attended Chinawhite in the city centre to celebrate his 26th birthday. It was a decision Erik ten Hag branded as ‘unacceptable’ on Friday and revealed Rashford apologised after the incident.

Neville agrees with the United manager’s verdict and said the sensible decision would have been to stay at home after such a high-profile defeat, and added that fans don’t want to see players out celebrating in the aftermath of such a disappointing performance .

“I have said this in my book, I have said this openly and publicly, if we lost a match, any match - forget a Manchester derby, after a Manchester derby we wouldn’t have been seen for two weeks,” Neville told Sky Sports. “But if we lost a match, nights out were cancelled; simple as that. That was my rule and it was the other lads’ rule in the dressing room.

“You could not be seen out in a public place if you had lost a football match because you would bump into people who paid big money to watch the team play and they don’t want to see you out celebrating. It’s an optics thing. I’m all for lads enjoying their lives but maybe that’s a night to have a takeaway, have a glass of wine, bring your friends round to your house.

“I don’t think it’s a great thing if you are seen out in a nightclub in Manchester after a derby loss. Erik ten Hag said it was a mistake, I would class it as a mistake as well. Marcus is from Manchester; I know it was his birthday and you have got to live, but it’s a Manchester derby and you’ve just been beaten 3-0.

“The reality is, the fans don’t want to hear that you’re out on the town. I don’t expect he was drinking copious amounts of alcohol, but also Manchester United had a game on the Wednesday night against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, that’s three days later so is it the best thing to be out? Probably not. So on a number of fronts I think Marcus would probably reflect on it and say ‘I’m not going to do that again’.

“I remember after the Sean Goater derby, cancelling my night out and having a few beers and drowning my sorrows, and reflecting on one of the worst professional days I’d had,” the former United defender added. “You just don’t go out after a derby.

“I’m not having a massive go or sticking the knife in, but I don’t think it was the wisest decision. If you want to keep the hassle away from your life and the media scrutiny, and you want to have a more peaceful life at Manchester United, you have got to make sensible decisions and not ask for trouble. I think it would have been the wisest thing to stay in.”