Rashford's Belfast bender has strained his relationship with Man Utd team-mates

Marcus Rashford's infamous tequila bender in Belfast has put a strain on his relationship with some of his Manchester United teammates.

It’s understood that Rashford’s status as a senior figure in the United dressing-room has been tarnished by the incident which saw him axed from the squad to face Newport County in the FA Cup last month.

Some players felt let down that Rashford had stayed out until the early hours in a Belfast bar and missed training at Carrington the next morning, then tried to convince the club it happened 24 hours earlier before a planned day off.

The England international wrote an article in the Players’ Tribune last week defending his commitment to United, but sources say the controversy has damaged his credibility in the eyes of some team-mates.

Manager Erik ten Hag was furious over Rashford’s antics, having already reprimanded the player over a nightclub visit in October.

The two have moved on after a clear-the-air meeting at Carrington and are now said to have no more than a working relationship.

Rashford scored a superb goal in Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Etihad derby, and Ten Hag will need more from the 26-year-old in the remainder of the season as he battles to save his job.

United face Everton at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime looking to close the gap on Tottenham and Aston Villa in the race for Champions League qualification.

Ten Hag’s side then meet Liverpool in the quarter-final of the FA Cup after beating Nottingham Forest in the fifth round last week.

Forest are investigating how a United fan gained entry to the City Ground posing as a steward after he had tickets in the home end cancelled as a result of being identified as a United member or season ticket holder.

The supporter posted a video showing himself wearing a hi-vis jacket telling another steward he needed to use the toilet before being ushered into the empty stadium.