Ten Hag Says Rashford Going to Nightclub Party after United’s Heavy City Defeat Was ‘Unacceptable’

Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - October 29, 2023 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - October 29, 2023 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
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Ten Hag Says Rashford Going to Nightclub Party after United’s Heavy City Defeat Was ‘Unacceptable’

Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - October 29, 2023 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - October 29, 2023 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says it was “unacceptable” for Marcus Rashford to go to a nightclub party after the team's humiliating 3-0 derby defeat at home to Manchester City on Sunday.

Reports emerged the day after the match that the England international, who turned 26 on Tuesday, had gone to a nightclub in Manchester for a pre-arranged birthday party hours after the Old Trafford loss in the Premier League.

Rashford plundered 30 goals for United last season and signed a new five-year deal with the club over the summer, but has struggled this season with one goal in 14 appearances.

“Yes, I am aware of it,” Ten Hag said Friday. “I spoke with him about it. It’s unacceptable, I told him, he apologized and that’s it. For the rest it’s an internal matter.”

Ten Hag repeated it was an “internal matter” when asked if Rashford had been fined for an incident that he says will not impact the forward's availability for Saturday’s crunch Premier League trip to Fulham.

Eighth-place United has lost five of its 10 league games this season.



Habib Becomes 1st Lebanese Player in Open Era to Play in Grand Slam Men's Singles Draw

FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
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Habib Becomes 1st Lebanese Player in Open Era to Play in Grand Slam Men's Singles Draw

FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)

Hady Habib isn't likely to find anything too daunting at the Australian Open now that he's become the first Lebanese player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam men's singles draw.
He advanced through three rounds of the qualifying at Melbourne Park, winning his third match in a tiebreaker 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8) over Clement Chidekh of France on Thursday to secure a place in the main draw of the tournament that starts Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
It continued a rapid rise for Habib, who made his Olympic debut last year in Paris, running into eventual silver medalist Carlos Alcaraz, a four-time major winner, in the first round. It was two sets he'll long remember.
Late last year, he made history at Temuco, Chile by becoming the first ATP Challenger Tour champion from Lebanon.
The 26-year-old Habib was born in Houston, Texas and moved to Lebanon as a young child, learning how to play there. He returned to the US to pursue a pro career and feels now like he's representing of the spirit of Lebanese people.
“I know it’s just a sport, but I feel like representing Lebanon and sacrificing all the things I had to do to get here, it kind of resembles how our nation has fought back,” Habib told Australia's SBS News this week.
His personal success has come at a difficult time during the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
“Every morning, I was waking up during that challenging time, I was contacting all my family members, my friends, making sure they’re okay,” Habib told SBS News. "My heart’s just shattered to see what’s happening to our country and people.
“It was a hard time mentally for me, knowing that you can’t do anything to help, but I’m glad things are calming down now. Hopefully we’ll find some peace.”
Habib's first-round opponent at Melbourne Park will be determined when all qualifiers are inserted into the main draw.