'Rashford is stark lesson in how the game works ...take your eye off the ball and it will bite you!

DWIGHT YORKE Marcus Rashford's decline at Manchester United has been "startling" and that his form has been "nonexistent".

- DAVID ANDERSON

And Yorke, a Treble winner with the Old Trafford side, is speaking from bitter personal experience because he fell foul of Sir Alex Ferguson and barely played in his final season before being offloaded to Blackburn in 2002.

United boss Ruben Amorim axed Rashford from his squad for the Manchester derby on Sunday and Yorke says the striker has committed the cardinal sin of "taking his eye off the ball" "His decline has been startling," said Yorke, speaking to sportslens com. "In terms of the level of consistency that he's brought to the table, it's been nonexistent.

"Rashford's plight is a stark reminder for footballers of how the game works.

"If you take your eye off the ball, and I've been a victim of that and have my own experience there, but if you're taking your eye off the ball, things can quickly come around to bite you." Rashford has signalled he wants out, claiming he is "ready for a new challenge", while Amorim yesterday played down his comments.

But the striker has taken a flamethrower to their fledgling relationship and it is hard to see a way back.