Rashford, 26, is yet to score this term and was substituted after 65 minutes of the 2-1 defeat at Brighton on 24 August.

Analysing Rashford’s form on Match of the Day following the loss on the south coast, Shearer said: “He’s had two games this season Marcus Rashford and he’s not had one shot at goal.

“Fifty-seven goals they [Manchester United] scored last season. That was the worst in the top half. Ruud van Nistelrooy has been brought into there. He’s going to have to work his magic somehow.”

Asked about the comments as he spoke to the media before his side’s Premier League encounter with Liverpool at Old Trafford, Ten Hag was forceful in his response.

“Everyone gets criticism from you guys, it doesn’t matter what we are doing, if we are winning or if we are losing,” he said.

“If I take a player off, the conclusion is I was not happy with him. But I was very happy with Rashy in pre-season, against Fulham [in the opening game] and also against Brighton.

“I didn’t take him off because his performances or level were not right – no, we had to rotate because we have good players on the bench who bring new energy.

“There will be rotation. Then there is the conclusion the player is not performing. It can be sometimes but definitely it wasn’t in this case. In this case, it was stupid analysis from the pundit.”

Rashford’s only goal during United’s pre-season tour was a penalty in a win against Real Betis in San Diego.

He scored just eight times in all competitions last season, with his last competitive goal for the club coming during an FA Cup win against Liverpool on 17 March.

Rashford, who was left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad, was omitted from Lee Carsley’s first Three Lions squad as interim manager for Nations League fixtures in September.

Ten Hag clashed with Shearer at the end of last season when Manchester United beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

The Dutchman was under huge pressure following his team’s eighth-placed finish in the Premier League, but they upset their neighbours to lift a much-needed trophy.

“If you had had that [sort of performance] every week you wouldn’t have finished eighth, would you?” asked Shearer.

Ten Hag suggested the criticism was unfair as his squad was ravaged by injuries throughout the campaign.

United host Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday (16:00 BST kick-off) but will be without striker Rasmus Hojlund, who is still three weeks away from fitness following a hamstring injury.

Three Lions captain Kane said the former England internationals who are now pundits should “remember what it’s like to wear the shirt” before they criticise Gareth Southgate’s side.

Kane was one of a number of players who were criticised for their performances in the match that left England on four points after two games in Group C.

Former England strikers Lineker and Shearer analysed the performance on the BBC’s coverage before Lineker later used an expletive to describe the team’s performance on his Rest is Football podcast.

Speaking on the podcast on Monday, Lineker claimed journalists were “stirring the pot” while Shearer said England’s best response would be on the pitch.

“We’ve been critical of England’s performances, as has pretty much every journalist, but you know how it happens,” said Lineker.

“We’ve talked about this a few times before, about journalists not being brave enough to ask their own questions.

“I guarantee whoever that was was probably critical themselves. They do it a) to stir the pot and b) because they’re too scared to ask a question from their own selves.

“It puts Harry on the spot. I thought he answered it fine.

“There was one bit there where he says that we have responsibilities as ex-England players, that we should know better and that we never won anything or words to that effect.

“Fine, he’s absolutely right. But I will say one thing. The last thing in the world we want to be is downbeat and critical. We want the England team to perform well on the pitch. The best punditry of all is when England play well.”

Shearer added: “It’s important we never get personal. That’s the most important thing.

“They were terrible and we have to say that. If England were brilliant we’d say they were brilliant, that’s the way it is.

“As a player you always get the right of reply on the pitch. I have no problem what we said, I wouldn’t take anything back we said.

“England were really poor. I think the vast majority of the country, and even the boys in the squad, will know they were awful against Denmark. There were hardly any positives.”

England play Slovenia in their final game in Group C in Cologne on Tuesday (20:00 BST).

The 30-year-old England striker and captain has moved for an initial 100m euros (£86.4m) plus add-ons.

He is Spurs’ and England’s record goalscorer – but has never won a major trophy with either.

“His career deserves some success,” former Newcastle and England striker Shearer told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Kane scored 213 goals from 320 Premier League games, leaving him 48 behind Shearer’s record. Some wondered if that would be a big enough target to stay at Spurs.

“I was a bit panicked when the plane was cancelled a few times, thinking is he going or not?” joked Shearer.

“Who knows, he could spend two or three years there and come back to have another crack at beating the record.”

Kane had one year left on his deal at Spurs, where he had spent his career to date excluding loan spells away, scoring 280 goals in 435 games for the club.

He could win a minor trophy within a day of joining Bayern, as they face Leipzig in the German Super Cup on Saturday night.

Shearer’s only silverware was the 1994-95 Premier League title with Blackburn. He moved to his boyhood club Newcastle for a then-record £15m but never won another competition.

“He had one year left on his contract and has now moved to a giant of a football club with a really, really good chance of winning the Champions League,” said Shearer.

“He’s going there to work under a very intelligent manager [in Thomas Tuchel] and to work alongside some excellent players.”

READ ALSO

• Harry Kane joins Bayern Munich ending record-breaking Tottenham career

• I did not want to end my career with regrets – Harry Kane