Ralf Rangnick explains why Marcus Rashford didn't start for Manchester United vs Leicester

Ralf Rangnick is hopeful Marcus Rashford can regain form in Manchester United's run-in but stressed it is down to the player to end his prolonged slump in form.

Despite the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood, Rashford was named on the bench for the 1-1 draw with Leicester as Rangnick started the same front six that lined up at Manchester City five weeks ago.

Rashford came on in the 56th minute for Scott McTominay, who had just been yellow-carded for a high challenge on James Maddison, and Rangnick bemoaned Anthony Elanga's offside position for a stoppage-time chance when Rashford was shaping up to shoot inside the penalty area.

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Rashford has scored five goals this season and only one of them has come as a starter. The 24-year-old was omitted from the England squad for the March friendly wins over Switzerland and Ivory Coast and it emerged he is considering his future in the wake of the derby snub last month.

"For me, it was clear that we would play Cristiano up front and with the three central midfielders," Rangnick said. "But then came the information that Cristiano doesn’t feel well and that he will probably be out for the game.

"Then the question was what do we do? Are we going to play with Marcus as a central striker and drop one of our central midfielders or do we play with Bruno as a false nine plus Paul on eight?

"I don’t think that this had any effect on the rhythm of the game in the first-half but when we realised after 55 minutes that we need a goal we brought on Marcus for Scotty. He had a yellow card, otherwise I wouldn’t have taken him off. But with a yellow card, I think it was the right decision to take him off.

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