Marcus Rashford should be DROPPED from the England squad in favour of either Jarrod Bowen or Cole Palmer, according to former England international Joe Cole.
Rashford, 26, was called up for the Three Lions’ recent friendly matches against Brazil and Belgium at Wembley.
He started neither, despite England not having striker Harry Kane available, playing only 15 largely ineffectual minutes against Brazil and not even getting off the bench against the Belgians on Tuesday.
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With England chasing the game, manager Gareth Southgate opted to use Anthony Gordon, James Maddison and Ollie Watkins from the bench instead of turning towards the Manchester United forward.
“He has a battle on his hands with Gordon, with Palmer, with [Phil] Foden, so we’ve got big competition for places in that area,” Southgate told the press earlier this week of Rashford’s squad status.
Rashford has played at Euro 2016, Euro 2020 and two World Cups for England but now appears in danger of missing out on a place in a fifth tournament squad for his country.
Joe Cole says DROP Rashford
This year’s European Championship permits only 23 players, down from 26, and that spells disappointment for some established names.
Rashford has suffered an indifferent season at club level, being dropped from the squad by manager Erik ten Hag back in January following an ill-advised night out in Belfast.
United’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney recently stated that he didn’t have much sympathy for Rashford in light of his recent problems, adding that he was in a position of privilege.
Paris Saint-Germain have been mooted as a potential destination for the homegrown forward, whose United future is under scrutiny.
He has scored only eight goals in 35 games, although he went into the international break on a high having netted in the FA Cup quarter-final win against Liverpool.
Having endured a topsy-turvy campaign, Cole believes that the time has come for Rashford to drop out of the England reckoning and allow new faces to take over.
“You are going to get some headlines and there is a reason for putting players in and leaving players out,” Cole said in his role as pundit for Channel 4.
“With Marcus, I love him as a player. I think he is a top-class player but he’s had an indifferent season.
“There have been ups and downs and that’s been right the way through his career, he’s hit the heights.
“I just think I wouldn’t start him in my England team, because my front three would be Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden. That’s my front three if everyone is fit.
“Then where am I going to get bang for my buck? I just question Rashford given the stage of his career he’s at and whether every minute on that pitch for England is as meaningful for him as it is for someone like Jarrod Bowen?
“If Bowen goes to the Euros and plays one minute he will be the proudest man in the country and so will Cole Palmer.
“I’m thinking, for tournaments to come, they are going to be England players.”
Southgate, meanwhile, as been mentioned as a potential successor to Ten Hag at Old Trafford following the Sir Jim Ratcliffe-led takeover in Manchester.
