The Manchester United forward has had a disappointing season and the emerging Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer are offering some stiff competition
Gareth Southgate has warned Marcus Rashford his place in England’s Euro 2024 squad is by no means guaranteed, with stiff competition looming from the next generation of wide attackers.
“He has a battle on his hands with Gordon, with Palmer, with Foden, so we’ve got big competition for places in that area,” Southgate said of Rashford. “What happens while players are with their clubs is club matters, because they know the full story. Obviously, we observe everything, we don’t miss anything. I don’t say behaviours off the field are irrelevant, because clearly they’re not. But the key thing is we are mainly focusing on the performances on the field. He’s got big competition.
Newcastle have endured an inconsistent campaign but, with 10 goals, Gordon has provided a shining light. “I like the way he competes, he’s aggressive with the ball and positive,” Southgate said. “He has quality, he can retain the ball under pressure; he’s quick, speed is something that frightens full-backs and he has that. And he scores goals: he’s added that little bit more consistency to his goalscoring in the last couple of years.”Southgate is also looking to the future of England’s defence.