Rashford's United environment claim stirs debate amid Barcelona loan

Marcus Rashford has renewed a public debate about his time at Manchester United after saying this month that an "inconsistent environment" there made it harder to be consistent, prompting rebuttals from former United teammates Wayne Rooney and Roy Keane. The exchanges come as Rashford, 27, presses his case on loan at Barcelona, where he has rediscovered form and positioned himself for a permanent move.

Rashford, speaking in a recent interview, said he had "been in an inconsistent environment for a very long time," and that stabilising his training and daily variables was key to reaching his best levels. The England international left United after falling out of favour under manager Ruben Amorim, spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, and joined Barcelona on a season-long loan this summer.

Wayne Rooney, speaking on his podcast, rejected Rashford's suggestion that the environment should shoulder responsibility for his dip in form. Rooney acknowledged there were problems at United but said personal application was decisive, adding that players who are not performing sometimes use the environment as an easy explanation. Roy Keane, in remarks on television, was...