Rashford on Hodgson’s mind for Euros place
England manager plays down hype but won’t rule out United youngster
>> PARIS: Manchester United teenager Marcus Rashford’s stunning introduction to big-time football has come as no surprise to Roy Hodgson and the England manager has not ruled him out of selection for his Euro 2016 finals squad.
Hodgson has been keeping a close eye on the 18-year-old forward, who scored twice on his debut against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League and got two more in Sunday’s Premier League win over Arsenal.
“I would neither rule him in nor rule him out, I just hope he can do well,” Hodgson was quoted by British media as saying at a Euro 2016 coaches’ briefing in France on Thursday.
“I have been watching Rashford for two years, so I have known about him for a long time. He is in our system.”
Hodgson added that while he was pleased to see an England Under-18 player featuring in United’s first team, he hoped Rashford would not have too many expectations placed on him.
“My hope for Rashford, and it is a vain hope, is that he will be allowed to develop in peace and it won’t suddenly be a question of, ‘You have scored two goals for Man United and you’re going to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo’ or every time he has two or three bad games he is a flash in the pan.
“Let’s hope the lad gets a chance to develop in the same way as Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley, Wayne Rooney, David Beckham and Paul Scholes,” Hodgson added.
“Scoring four goals in three games is a great achievement and if he can keep that up, it is great for Manchester United and England.”
Rashford was a late inclusion in United’s team against Midtjylland after Anthony Martial was injured in the warm-up and struck twice in a 5-1 win in the last 32, second-leg clash.
Meanwhile, manager Louis van Gaal has urged Manchester United to be cautious as they closed in on the Premier League’s top four after Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Watford at Old Trafford.
Despite a majority of the first-team players on the treatment table, United drew level on points with fourthplaced Manchester City, who have a game in hand, after picking up backto-back league victories for the first time since November.
“We have to go step by step, I think,” Van Gaal told British media when asked about his side’s top-four hopes.
“We have the same problems as three weeks ago. Players are coming back, but still I have to solve a problem every week in my line-up, so when players are coming back, they are not fit enough.”
Fifth-placed United, who are on a four-game winning streak in all competitions, travel to face 13th-placed West Bromwich Albion tomorrow, having not lost at the Hawthorns during the Premier League era.