Is Rash undroppable?

REMEMBER ROSSI, GAZZA AND SCHILLACI WHO SUDDENLY HIT A WORLD CUP HOT STREAK... ENGLAND WOULD BE FOOLISH NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MARCUS MAGIC

HE is in the running for the Golden Boot, was the first player to score directly from a free-kick at this World Cup and put Wales to the sword.

In short, Marcus Rashford has got his mojo back.

But after marking his first tournament start with a double that sunk the Welsh and sent England marching into the knockout stage and a Sunday showdown with Senegal, does that make the Manchester United striker undroppable?

The Mirror’s Chief Football Writer and the Mirror’s Chief Sports Writer disagree...

MARCUS RASHFORD has made himself undroppable.

You have to go with the player in form, the one brimming with confidence and scoring goals for fun.

Down the years, World Cups have been littered with players who have been a surprise success story because they seized their opportunity... and never looked back.

Just look at previous heroes – Paolo Rossi, Paul Gascoigne, Toto Schillaci. The list goes on. You would be foolish not to take advantage of their red-hot form.

And now Gareth Southgate has a wonderful headache ahead of the last-16 tie with Senegal because he is faced with the dilemma of dropping Rashford and Phil Foden to bring back Bukayo

Saka and Raheem Sterling.

Sterling and Saka teed off into this tournament as leaders in the club house, the first choice pairing either side of Harry Kane, and the duo were brilliant against Iran.

But they, like other players, looked tired against United States, and Foden and Rashford were brought in to freshen it up.

Rashford is perhaps more direct, but he still works hard and is proving that he can score goals.

Foden is one of the best players of his type in the world – he must be because he plays week in and week out for the best club team in Manchester City under the best club manager in Pep Guardiola.

If possession is nine tenths of the law, then Rashford and Foden are hard to displace.

Rashford is a wonderful story because he had not kicked a ball for England since missing a penalty in the shootout at the Euros final in July 2021.

He has fought back from that low to force his way back into the England set-up, he is clearly a leader and an important figure in the group.

Sterling always delivers for England and Saka is the Player of the Year. But you have to go with who is in form, who is scoring goals and who can be the hero.

That is why Rashford should keep his place against Senegal.

I can’t even bring myself to decide at whose expense.

But it would be unthinkable to leave him out now.

His pace, directness and work rate destroyed Wales. His freekick (below) was sensational, he scored another goal (celebrating, above) and played a part in Foden’s. That all won him man of the match honours.

By keeping him in, it pushes the others and should raise their level in training. It’s great to have such competition.

Just think back to the 2019 Champions League final. Lucas Moura scored a hat-trick in the semi-final against Ajax – yet Spurs left him on the bench for the final against Liverpool.

That was a crazy decision and still looks bizarre.

Leaving Rashford out on Sunday would look just as daft – especially should England lose.

Southgate would regret it for ever.

By keeping him in, it pushes the others and should raise their level in training