Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford said his emotions got the better of him during a verbal argument with a fan after his team’s defeat by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last-16 on Tuesday.
Footage on social media showed Rashford, 24, walking towards a group of supporters outside Old Trafford, after appearing to hear something shouted at him from the crowd.
He exchanged words with a fan and gestured towards the individual while being ushered away by security. Rashford netted 21 goals in all competitions last season but has scored only five times in this campaign after making his return from shoulder surgery in October.
The England international has started only two of United’s last seven games in all competitions.
“For weeks I’ve been heckled, threatened, questioned and last night my emotion got the better of me,” Rashford wrote on Twitter. “I’m a human being. Reading and hearing that stuff about yourself every day wears you down.
“I want to clarify 2 things. The first is what I actually said to the man throwing abuse at me which (was) ‘come over here and say it to my face, fact security can back up.
“Secondly, the fact I used my forefinger to direct the fan to ‘come over and say it to my face. I did not gesture with my middle finger. I’m upset. I’m disappointed. And at that moment it was silly but I was being human.”
United are fifth in the Premier League with 50 points from 29 games and face a battle to make the top four and earn a place in next season’s Champions League.
The loss to Atletico ended their hopes of a title this season, extending their trophy drought to five years.
