Marcus Rashford has been left out of the Manchester United squad for the third game on the spin, sitting out of the Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Sunday.
The England international was first dropped for the Manchester derby last weekend, remained out of the squad for the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Tottenham on Thursday and again misses out against the Cherries.
Rashford spoke out about his future this week, saying he is ‘ready for a new challenge’ and making an exit seem very likely.
Manager Ruben Amorim has since suggested that the 27-year-old can have a future at Old Trafford, but Red Devils hero Gary Neville feels a departure is now inevitable.
‘Rashford’s absence isn’t really a surprise any more. It’s something of the norm,’ Neville said after team news emerged ahead of Sunday’s game.
‘You leave him out for three matches on the bounce, something really is going wrong or has gone wrong.
‘It’s not looking great for both Marcus’ future at the club or Manchester United keeping him. I suspect it’s getting to the point in the journey where there is an inevitable ending.’
Rashford told Henry Winter on Tuesday: ‘For me, personally, I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps.
‘When I leave it’s going to be “no hard feelings”. You’re not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That’s me as a person.
‘If I know that a situation is already bad I’m not going to make it worse. I’ve seen how other players have left in the past and I don’t want to be that person.
‘When I leave I’ll make a statement and it will be from me.’
Amorim left the door open for Rashford after the defeat to Spurs in the Carabao Cup, despite leaving him out of that contest.
‘Tomorrow we have training, he will be there preparing for next game,’ the boss said on Thursday night. ‘He is a United player, everyone has a future at Man United.’
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Alejandro Garnacho was also dropped from the squad for the Manchester derby but was on the bench and came on against Tottenham.
The Argentina international is again on the substitutes’ bench against Bournemouth, with Amorim fielding a front three of Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes and Joshua Zirkzee.
Manchester United confirmed that Matthijs de Ligt is out through illness and Mason Mount faces ‘several weeks’ out through injury.
Amorim told Sky Sports: ‘Matta [Matthijs] is still sick and Harry we just saved him from that game [Thursday], because he did the first 90 minutes for a long time [at City] and we have to be careful with this kind of player. Josh [Zirkzee] he did really well in the last game and we need fresh legs. Onana returns to the Premier League, so everything has a purpose and we are ready for this game.’