Stuart Pearce slams Marcus Rashford’s performance in Manchester United’s Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich

Former England international Stuart Pearce criticised Marcus Rashford’s performance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, suggesting the forward was running backwards ‘like he has a fridge on his back.’

Manchester United slumped to their fourth loss in five games in all competitions as they suffered a 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in their opening game of the Champions League group stage.

Rashford Criticised for Lack of Effort

It was a night to forget Erik ten Hag’s side, with Pearce singling out a number of players, including Rashford, for their lack of effort defensively during the game.

‘United are under the cosh because too many of their players have jacked it in. Rashford half running back and Casemiro half running back,’ Pearce explained during the game on talkSPORT.

‘I’m not sure what Andre Onana said when he had a rant at Maguire in the summer but now is the time to have a rant at the back line, not just the back line but the whole team.

‘Too many players who have given up the ghost and that is alarming. United are so off the pace and they are lucky that Bayern have not been more clinical.’

Harry Kane Penalty Restores Bayern Lead

Harry Kane’s penalty restored Bayern’s two-goal advantage after Rasmus Hojlund scored his first goal for the club shortly after the break.

Casemiro fired home a late double – either side of Mathys Tel’s injury-time effort – as United kicked off their Champions League campaign with a defeat.

Scoreline Flattering to United

Thomas Tuchel’s side spurned a number of good opportunities to heap more pain on United, with Pearce suggesting that the scoreline was hugely flattering to the visitors.

‘[They were] too wide open, too regularly,’ he added. ‘Their goal to come back to 3-2 was a false dawn. They conceded four and that’s what they deserved.

‘As silly as it sounds, the score flatters United. What concerns me is that United almost stopped trying for about 15 minutes – even though they scored in that time.’

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