Topics: Marcus Rashford, Euro 2024, England, Alan Shearer, Manchester United, Premier League, Gareth Southgate
Alan Shearer has given a damning verdict on Marcus Rashford’s chances of making the Euro 2024 squad.
Rashford has endured a difficult campaign, netting on just eight occasions so far this term, just a year after recording a career-best 30 goals.
The Manchester United forward’s lean spell has extended to the international stage too, with the attacker having scored just twice for England since the start of 2023.
In turn, the Premier League’s record scorer, Shearer, believes Rashford’s place in Gareth Southgate’s squad for this summer’s European Championships in Germany could be in jeopardy.
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Writing for The Athletic, he said: “If Rashford plays well between now and the end of the season, then that could potentially force the manager’s hand. But I don’t think he’s a certainty to go, no.
“He’s not a centre-forward, he doesn’t want to play there. He’d be going as a wide forward who can play as a striker in an emergency.
“You can tell from his body language that he doesn’t want to play there for Manchester United. If he’s going to be in the squad, it wouldn’t be ahead of Harry Kane, Watkins or Toney, it’d be as a wide forward.”
Rashford and Manchester City star Jack Grealish could face missing out on the tournament, even if UEFA allow nations to take larger squads than the current 23 permitted.
Indeed, Rashford was only given 15 minutes of play-time across two games in the March international break.
The 26-year-old made a short cameo in England’s loss to Brazil at Wembley last Friday, with Southgate subsequently explaining he wanted to look at new options.
Asked if Rashford’s omission was down to injury after England’s 2-2 draw with Belgium, he replied: “No, I wanted to see Anthony Gordon again.
“I thought he had an excellent impact in the first game and I thought that [James] Maddison coming into that area could open things up for us a bit.”
