Rashford ruled out of training
BY CARL ASKEW MARCUS RASHFORD sat out England’s first training session in Russia due to a knee complaint as Gareth Southgate faced the first notable injury doubt of the World Cup build-up.
Preparations for next Monday’s Group G opener against Tunisia could scarcely have gone any better until now, with the initial 23-man selection remaining intact after wins over Nigeria and Costa Rica.
Rashford shone in the latter friendly and scored a superb opener during a man-of-the-match display in last week’s Elland Road send-off, underlining his claims for a starting berth.
But the 20-year-old’s hopes received a setback after missing England’s first training session with a slight knee injury.
The FA said Rashford’s absence was a precaution but the forward was conspicuous by his absence in the first session at Spartak Zelenogorsk’s stadium.
Teammate Jordan Henderson said: “He’s not too bad. It’s a knock in training. We’ve still got five days before the first game so it’s just a little bit of a precaution for him to make sure he is OK.” THERE was a spell during a small-sided, one-touch match at England’s training base in Russia when everything Jordan Pickford looked at went past him.
Even Trent Alexander-Arnold scored. Not that it will faze Pickford, a character built to represent the confidence that normally comes naturally to top-class keepers.
Let’s face it, no shrinking violet has ever made a great goalie.
Pickford has won his head-to-head with Jack Butland and will face Tunisia in Volgograd on Monday.
And even in the pressurised environment of a World Cup opener, he is certain the cultured distribution that has caught the eye will not be affected.
Pickford said: “I have always been confident but never arrogant. I always enjoy playing out from the back.
“It is just a nice feeling – knowing I am capable of doing it and knowing it is what the manager wants.
“I always play out at the right times. That is the way we are going to play, whether it is a friendly, a qualifier or the actual World Cup.”
There is always a different focus on goalkeeping form but it is particularly sharp in tournaments.
In 2010, Robert Green shipped a soft equaliser against the United States in England’s first game and was dropped.
Joe Hart’s career has been holed by his calamitous Euro 2016.
But Pickford, 24, is sure the trajectory of his development is very much upwards and heading towards the elite bracket. He said: “(Manuel)