Rashford’s big chance
MARCUS RASHFORD makes his England debut tonight with Roy Hodgson claiming the “whole of the football world” will be waiting to see if the teenager can book his place at Euro 2016.
The Manchester United striker, below, starts against Australia at the Stadium of Light with England coach Hodgson urging him to seize the moment.
“It is a big game for him,” said Hodgson. “Because I, my coaching staff, the rest of the players, he himself and the whole of the football world are going to be looking and saying, ‘Right, we all think this lad has something special, can he now show it to us once again?
“We will be giving him every opportunity to do that.”
England will check on the fitness of Daniel Sturridge, who missed training for the second successive day with a calf strain, ahead of the friendly.
Harry Kane will be rested, Wayne Rooney will begin on the substitutes’ bench and Jamie Vardy is absent having got married on Wednesday.
It opens the way for Rashford to continue a meteoric rise with a place in Hodgson’s final 23-man squad – which must be named by midnight on Tuesday – now a distinct possibility.
IP8E I@J;FE D@CC@>8E NI@>?K JD@K? A<;@E8B CLFE>F DFFP IF>@: BILJ< D8:C8I<E MARCUS RASHFORD should be aware there is a precedent for talented teenage strikers making their first start for England at the Stadium of Light. If he is not, then Wayne Rooney might be tempted to pull his Manchester United team-mate to one side today and offer a recap. While it was against tonight’s opponents, Australia, that the England captain made his debut, a European Championship qualifier against Turkey here in April 2003 truly whetted the appetite as he showed his skills from the outset. Then there is Jordan Henderson who revealed yesterday he was a starry-eyed ball-boy that night and sees parallels between the apprentice now seeking to follow in the master’s footsteps. “I watched Wayne when he was starting to get into England’s first team and starting to play,” said the midfielder, back on home turf having started his career at Sunderland. “Just how good he was at such a young age and I think Marcus could definitely go that way. It has been like that at Manchester United
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CHRIS WADDLE believes Wayne Rooney should start for England at Euro 2016, but said his skills would be best harnessed in central midfield.
The former England international, right, expects Harry Kane to spearhead the attack but says Rooney would be wasted in a wide role in a 4-3-3 formation and led the calls for Roy Hodgson to tap into his captain’s attributes by selecting
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him in midfield, where he played for Manchester United at the end of the season.
“I don’t think Wayne is a No9,” said Waddle. “Harry Kane will start, but we saw in the FA Cup final that Wayne was the best player on the park.
“His passing range since he went into midfield for United has been excellent. This could be his role. Get him on the ball because he has the ability to pick out the