Marcus Rashford was given another chance by Thomas Tuchel — but again failed to impress.
If you were to pick your starting eleven for next year’s World Cup today, Rashford likely wouldn`t make the cut.
The 27-year-old’s underwhelming performance in the 3-0 victory over Latvia mirrored his struggles at club level over the past couple of seasons.
Statistically, he created six chances — but it didn`t feel that way.
The Manchester United forward, currently on loan at Aston Villa, showed positive intent in the first half.
He was too fast for the Latvian right-back Roberts Savalnieks.
He also supported his defenders when Latvia rarely attacked.
Rashford seemed to respond to criticism from coach Thomas Tuchel for not being direct enough in the 2-0 win over Albania.
However, the crucial final pass was missing. After switching to the right flank in the second half, he barely touched the ball before being substituted by Curtis Jones.
Rashford isn`t the only player who has failed to make a significant impact in the final third during England`s recent uninspired performances.
But competition for the left-wing position isn`t as fierce as it once was.
Jack Grealish’s career has stagnated, while Phil Foden has underperformed for England and expressed dissatisfaction with playing on the left during Euro 2024.
Anthony Gordon, who missed this game due to injury, would likely be the preferred choice for that role if the World Cup were to start tomorrow.
Eberechi Eze also showed promise on the left when he came on and scored the third goal.
Rashford still has an opportunity — mainly because his national team coach appears keen for him to succeed.
Tuchel has given him starting roles in consecutive games, a rarity for him at both club and international level over the past year and a half, highlighting Rashford’s decline in stature.
He played 74 minutes against Albania on Friday and only slightly longer at Wembley last night.
Tuchel is on a short-term contract and, despite introducing young players like Myles Lewis-Skelly, seems inclined to rely on experienced players.
Rashford — with 62 caps — falls into that category.
When announcing his squad for these matches, Tuchel praised Rashford’s work ethic at Villa — an aspect he was often criticized for at United.
It’s still early in his Aston Villa loan under Unai Emery. In nine appearances, he has only started twice and hasn`t scored yet.
Rashford’s last goal was in United’s 4-0 victory over Everton on December 1st.
When Rashford managed to get past Savalnieks in the first half, his final pass wasn’t effective.
After switching wings with Jarrod Bowen after halftime, he played a minor part in the buildup to Harry Kane’s second goal — but remained largely uninvolved.
Perhaps fatigue from lack of consistent playtime is a factor.
However, Rashford is still likely to be included in England’s squad for their next two games in June — a World Cup qualifier in Andorra and a friendly against Senegal at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground.
Considering Rashford’s recent struggles — many self-inflicted — he is fortunate to be in the England squad.
It remains to be seen if he can capitalize on this opportunity.
