Troy Deeney has named Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford as his biggest flop of 2024 and has described Gabriel Jesus’ performances for Arsenal this year as ‘stinky’.
Rashford struggled to make an impact in Erik ten Hag’s final year as United manager and has now indicated that he wants to leave Old Trafford in order to seek ‘a new challenge’.
Former Watford captain Deeney has criticised Rashford’s attitude and has accused the 27-year-old of not taking responsibility for his poor performances.
‘Who’s been a flop for me… it sounds like I’m piling on and I don’t mean to, but you probably have to say Marcus,’ Deeney told talkSPORT.
‘Marcus has probably been the biggest disappointment this year.
”Flop’ is a hard word but I mean disappointment in terms of expectation and what we think he can deliver.
‘We probably have to say Marcus over the course of January until now.
‘What I’m on about with ‘baby’ is the attitude, he didn’t start against Arsenal, so he thinks he should start.
‘So to prove to people that you should start, he’s just going to walk around, how does that logic work? That’s what a baby does, that’s what my kids do when they don’t get what they want, they sulk and scream and cry.
‘And he decided he was going to walk around and try and hit 70-yard diags [diagonal passes] off the pitch but that’s the manager’s fault I suppose?
‘I just think he’s highly talented, had all of the opportunity in the world and at some point it’s got to be his fault, and not somebody else’s, that’s what I think.’
Deeney also feels Gabriel Jesus deserves criticism with the Arsenal forward scoring just one Premier League goal in 2024.
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The Brazil international endured a disrupted start to the current season due to a groin injury but may have turned a corner after scoring a hat-trick in Arsenal’s 3-2 win against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
‘Gabi’s been stinky, he’s been stinky for a little while,’ Deeney said.
‘He’s a good footballer that doesn’t like scoring goals.
‘Personally, when you start telling people that [goals are not my strong point], it’s time to call it a day. I’m not sure why he thought that was clever.’
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