QUESTION MARC TO TOP MARC
Rashford’s rejuvenation after England nightmare is stuff of dreams
IT HAS been 16 months in the rebuild, but all of a sudden Marcus Rashford seems to have become another Harry Kane.
And that can only be a good thing for England.
“You could see with his club there has been happiness in his performances this year and I have to say that has shown itself on the training ground all the time with us,” Gareth Southgate said on Tuesday.
“We have got a different version completely to the player we had in the Euros last summer. It’s great for him and if it’s great for him, it’s great for us.”
The Manchester United striker’s two goals againstWales onTuesday keep him in the hunt for the Golden Boot that Kane won in Russia four years ago.
If he scores against Senegal on Sunday, he will have notched 13 international goals just a month after his 25th birthday.
Kane was within a month of his own 25th birthday when he reached the same tally.
The England skipper later went 16 months without finding the back of the net for his country due to injury and football stopping for Covid.
So perhaps Kane’s inevitable record when he passes Wayne Rooney at the top of the charts will not last as long as everybody has imagined.
After all, Rashford has already had his own 16-month hiatus – one he seemed to have fully got out of his system when he came on against Iran and scored before the stadium announcer had even had a chance to call out his substitution.
Although overcoming injuries and concerns about his form has not always been straightforward, as club captain Harry Maguire, below, recognises.
“I am close to Marcus, a good mate of his on and off the field. The main thing is trying to get the belief back in his game,” he said.
“I speak to him a lot and I try to give him as much belief as I can. There’s all types of things that you do.
“This last year has been difficult for him but all good players rise to the top again.
“A career is a long time. Over 15 years, there will be a lot of ups and downs. You’ve got to bounce back if you want to be successful.
“When he gets that opportunity with the confidence that he has, he is a threat to anyone.
“And against
Wales, he showed he
belongs
All good players rise to the top again. He is a threat to anyone
on this stage.” Eight of England’s nine goals have been scored while Kane has been on the pitch , a run he has never previously experienced in a Three Lions shirt without getting involved himself. Southgate is confident the Tottenham striker is just as useful in a different role.
“He has three assists now, three important assists from moments of real quality,” the England manager said. “We’ve been saying for a couple of years now we need to share the goals around and we’re starting to do that.” Kane is happy with that, posting on Twitter: “Marcus was on fire.”
Which rather takes the heat off himself for once.