It has been so long since Marcus Rashford has been a genuine contender for a regular starting place with England that it is easy to forget what type of game best suits his undoubted abilities. The Manchester United winger is at his most dangerous when the opposition is stretched, when there is space to run into, and when he has an opportunity to turn on the afterburners.
His goals in those types of games – like in the win over Liverpool and his pair against Arsenal not long after – have provided the foundation for his recent resurgence in form, lifting him out of what he freely admits has been the most challenging period of his career. This low-stakes curtain closer of a World Cup group stage against a Wales side determined to save face was not that type of game. Not at the start, at least.
