Marcus Rashford To Miss Euro 2024
England manager Gareth Southgate is set to announce a provisional 30-man squad for Euro 2024 at 2pm this afternoon. With two warm-up friendlies scheduled for early June, Southgate will eventually have to narrow down the list to 26 players who will make the trip to Germany. England’s first group-stage match against Serbia is set for 16 June, two days after the tournament begins.
Among the Manchester United players expected to feature, Luke Shaw is tipped for inclusion despite his injury-hit season, which has seen him sidelined for much of the campaign. Meanwhile, rising star Kobbie Mainoo is predicted to receive a second consecutive call-up, just months after making his senior debut for England.
However, Marcus Rashford’s exclusion from the squad has been confirmed by David Ornstein. Rashford has endured a frustrating season, scoring just eight goals in 42 appearances across all competitions. With England boasting a wealth of attacking talent, it was always going to be a tough task for any player to secure a spot if not performing at their best.
United Trio Return To Training Before FA Cup Final
Manchester United have received a welcome boost ahead of their FA Cup final clash with Manchester City, as Mason Mount, Anthony Martial, and Victor Lindelof have all returned to first-team training this week. With the final just three days away, Erik ten Hag has little time to prepare for what is arguably the most significant match of the season.
United’s Premier League campaign ended on a positive note with a 2-0 victory over Brighton, but it doesn’t change the fact that City are strong favourites heading into Wembley. However, the return of key players to training could give the Reds a slight edge.
Mount, who has had a challenging debut season at Old Trafford, hasn’t featured since the 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace earlier in the month. Meanwhile, Lindelof’s return bolsters United’s defensive options, potentially sparing Casemiro and Jonny Evans from being used as a makeshift centre-back pairing—something that would likely play into City’s hands.
While Martial’s return is also notable, many fans have lost faith in the French forward, whose inconsistent performances and injury troubles have plagued his United career. Despite that, there’s still hope he could step up and deliver a decisive moment in the final against City. Martial last played for United in the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth back in December.
In more positive news, Raphael Varane, Bruno Fernandes, Lisandro Martinez, and Marcus Rashford have all returned to action recently, boosting United’s chances of fielding a stronger team on Saturday. Additionally, Harry Maguire has admitted he is ‘touch and go’ for the final, but remains hopeful of making the matchday squad, while Luke Shaw, despite his England call-up, is likely to miss the match.
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