Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has defended Marcus Rashford after his Belfast antics.

Rashford has been fined after missing Friday's training session after two days of partying in Belfast last week.

Neville told BBC Sport: "To me, going out for a drink or going out for a night out is something that every football player will do and should do so I've got no problem with that whatsoever. They need to enjoy themselves.

"It's just all about choices and timing. Manchester United have just had a winter break. They've had a couple of weeks off so there was a better moment for him to choose to go out. I would say, go out and have your moment where you relax with your friends, but your timing has to be right.

"Marcus himself knows - he's an experienced player now, we're not talking about a young lad - but he's done it a couple of times in the last few months.

"I've always seen Marcus has being really responsible, a good professional and someone who works hard every single day. I know he's going through a dip in form at this moment in time but it's happened twice and it can sometimes become your personality if you're not careful.

"If you do it too many times people can start saying, 'what's happening in his life?' He just needs to relax, calm down, choose when to go out and get back to playing football at the levels we know he can."