‘Don’t think he’s a certainty’: Shearer says United star is ‘under pressure’ to prove himself in time to make Euros squad

Alan Shearer believes Marcus Rashford is at risk of missing out on a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad.

The Manchester United star was called up to represent his nation over the current international break, yet went on to make just one 15-minute cameo across their two fixtures. Against Belgium last night, he was an unused substitute.

Over the weekend, Gareth Southgate opted for a front three of Phil Foden, Ollie Watkins and debutant Anthony Gordon before deploying a slight reshuffle in the form of Foden, Ivan Toney and Jarrod Bowen on Tuesday evening.

Rashford entered the camp in fine form, having scored three goals in his past three outings for United. One was his scintillating outside-the-box strike against Manchester City, and the latest was a vital equaliser in extra-time of the Reds’ FA Cup triumph over Liverpool.

He featured sporadically at the Three Lions’ last tournament, the 2022 World Cup, making just one start in total before England exited at the quarter-finals stage. The 26-year-old scored three times in his five appearances.

When club football resumes in the coming days and the run-in begins, players will be well aware that their performances could see them granted a spot in their nation’s squad for this summer or omitted entirely. 

Rashford faces stern competition for Euros spot

Shearer reckons Rashford has to be playing his best football to ensure he catches Southgate’s eye. He wrote in The Athletic: “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.”

The former striker added: “The problem the wingers have is there are so many of them. [Jack] Grealish, Jarrod Bowen, Rashford, Gordon and Bukayo Saka, to name just a few, and so at least a couple of good players could miss out.

“Grealish and Rashford are definitely under pressure for their positions. It’s tough but whoever Gareth picks, he can just point at all the options, whereas defensively, he doesn’t have anywhere near as much depth.”