Arsenal star Bukayo Saka justified Gareth Southgate's trust in picking him for England's huge round of 16 World Cup clash with Senegal on Sunday night. The 21-year-old found the back of the net once again for the Three Lions to extend their lead to 3-0 and soar into the quarter-finals.
The decision to start Saka wasn't a simple one for Southgate though, given the form of Marcus Rashford in his short appearances so far in the tournament. The Manchester United forward scored once from the bench against Iran in the opening game before scoring a brace after starting against Wales.
While there were questions over the decision, Southgate explained his reasons to ITV: "He [Saka] was excellent in our first two matches, we thought Marcus [Rashford] was very good and it’s good to have him to come on as the game opens up so we’ve of course got an embarrassment of riches in that area of the pitch. We’re delighted with Bukayo’s performances and we think Phil and him deserve their opportunity."
