Marcus Rashford has thrown his support behind Jamie Carragher after Gary Neville repeatedly pressed him on the Manchester United forward's return to the club. Neville raised the topic on a new Stick to Football episode - a line of questioning that clearly grated on the former Liverpool captain.
Neville's questioning sparks Carragher's frustration
Neville asked: "Marcus Rashford, what do we think? Last question," to which Carragher snapped back: "Oh ***********. Can we do a podcast without mentioning Rashford? Stop it! Oh my god. It's like the Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and Rashford - there was like a little part of the podcast - the Trent part or the Rashford part."
Neville then shifted focus and asked: "How is Trent?" triggering Carragher's frustrated reply: "Oh my God!".
Neville attempted to explain, saying: "No, but he's come back to United," but Carragher wasn't buying it, declaring: "So what? Oh my God. He's just a good player for Man United!"
Rashford's response and return to Manchester United
Rashford has since reshared the clip on X, where he seemed to endorse Carragher's comments. "Thanks, Jamie," he posted. "It would be great to be able to get my head down and play football without my name being mentioned every day," followed by a crying emoji.
With the Premier League campaign just days away, it had looked increasingly likely that Rashford would move on, given how strongly the signs pointed to his future lying elsewhere. Barcelona where he spent last season on loan, held a £26million option to make the deal permanent but chose not to activate it, instead turning their attention to Anthony Gordon at Newcastle United.
Nevertheless, his return to Manchester has proved a positive one. He donned a United shirt for the first time in almost two years when he emerged from the bench during their recent friendly loss to AC Milan.
The 28-year-old now seems to be embracing life back at Old Trafford, serving as a guide to several of the club's younger talents. Though the summer transfer window remains open until September 1, the chances of Rashford remaining at the club are believed to be growing with each passing day.
Carrick's comments and season outlook
Michael Carrick has already conducted extensive discussions with the England international, who could feature prominently for the club this season. "He's our player, you know, and he's come back great. He's just like any other player," Carrick said.
"I've known Marcus a long time and, you know, he gives us something a little bit different. And he's been in great spirits since he's been back. He's been back two or three days training and it's just pretty normal, to be honest. And we're looking forward to the start of the season."
However, until the summer transfer window shuts, speculation over his future will persist, despite the forward's recent remarks indicating his focus on the forthcoming season and eagerness to simply play football. He hasn't featured in a Premier League match since December 2024.
Last season, Rashford's exceptional performances earned him a spot in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the recent World Cup. During his stint at Camp Nou, he racked up 14 goals and 14 assists across 49 appearances, and his efforts contributed to securing La Liga - the first league title of his career.
Carrick's team will kick off their campaign away at newly-promoted Hull City on Saturday, August 22 (12:30pm BST).
