Gareth Southgate will hold heart-to-heart talks with Marcus Rashford after axing him from the England squad.
Southgate plans to travel to Manchester to see out-of-form Rashford after the England get together for the Wembley friendlies with Switzerland and Ivory Coast. Rashford, 24, has not played for England since last summer’s Euros, has started just three of Manchester United ’s last 12 games and is struggling for form and confidence.
It was an even bigger decision because Rashford is a big influence on the England squad, is a national treasure for his charity work and now this leaves his place at the World Cup in serious danger. England boss Southgate, who gave a first call-up to Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi but also left out Jadon Sancho, revealed he did ring Rashford before leaving him out and also plans to talk to him face to face.
Southgate said: “I think it is important, perhaps after this camp, for me to go and sit with him and find out a bit more what is going on. But also there is a reality that we are not working with him every day, so there is a limit to what that is probably going to achieve. I think Marcus is very realistic. He knows he has is in a situation where he not been getting in the United team consistently and he will be searching as much as anybody to get that form back. We know he is desperate to do well and wants to do well and maybe we can help a little bit with that.
“In the last eight squads he has ended up pulling out of five, while Maguire has been in the team and a key part of the team for massive matches over a long period of time. For various reasons Marcus has dropped out of that a little bit. We have players in that area of the pitch playing at a better level so it is harsh but that is the nature of elite sport unfortunately.”
Rashford was disappointed but is philosophical about the decision and is determined to work and fight his way back to form for both club and country. There have been similar issues about Rashford’s United team mate Harry Maguire whose substitution in the Champions League exit to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night was cheered at Old Trafford.
But Maguire has kept his place while Rashford and Sancho were left out for what are England’s last two friendlies ahead of the World Cup in November. They have four Nations League fixtures in June and another two in June. Southgate said: “Clearly Harry has not been at his very best but I am pretty assured by how he has been with us - a consistently high level of matches over four years really.
“It will be good to spend some time with him when he has got a few days without a game and that would be a good moment for everybody to clear their heads and and get a new focus and stimulus with us for the next couple of weeks.”
It is an opportunity for Guehi and another for Conor Gallagher plus recalls for Arsenal ’s Ben White and Burnley keeper Nick Pope. Southgate named 25 players but gave Kyle Walker a rest and admitted that if there are injuries this weekend then Crystal Palace’s Trick Mitchell is likely to get a call-up having just missed out.
Goalkeepers : Jordan Pickford ( Everton ), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Nick Pope (Burnley)
Defenders : Trent Alexander-Arnold ( Liverpool ), Conor Coady ( Wolves ), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James ( Chelsea ), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones ( Manchester City ), Ben White (Arsenal)
Midfielders : Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Conor Gallagher (Crystal Palace), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice ( West Ham ), James Ward-Prowse ( Southampton )
Forwards : Tammy Abraham (Roma), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane ( Tottenham ), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
