Rashford Breaks Rooney"s England Record

Marcus Rashford became England’s youngest player at a European Championship on Thursday when he broke Wayne Rooney’s record with his substitute appearance in the 2-1 win over Wales.

The teenage Manchester United striker was introduced on 73 minutes of the dramatic Group B encounter in France at the age of 18 years and 228 days – four days younger than his club and international captain Rooney was when he registered his first competition outing at Euro 2004.

After Gareth Bale had opened the scoring for Wales, England later sealed three important points thanks to second-half goals from Rashford’s fellow substitutes Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge.

Speaking after the final whistle, Rooney spoke to the BBC about Rashford’s impressive cameo performance and his Old Trafford team-mate breaking his own long-standing international record.

“He will be delighted,” he said. “I haven’t actually seen the players yet because I have been drug tested, so I am not allowed in the dressing room, but I am sure he is delighted and I am really pleased for him.

“I saw today that it was 112 days ago that he made his debut for Man United and he is now playing on the biggest stage for England. It is a great story and we are all pleased for him.”

On the game itself, which saw England come from behind to win with Rooney producing an influential midfield display, the captain was relieved and felt the Three Lions deserved the result.

“In the first half I think we did OK actually but we just had to move the ball quicker,” he said. “Unfortunately we went 1-0 down and in the second half the manager made some positive changes. It paid off for us. I thought we were fantastic in the second half. We moved the ball and made Wales work hard.

“We kept the ball, kept probing and got the win in the end. We showed a lot of character today and I am sure everyone in the dressing room will be delighted.

“I think we know as a group of players that we are not just an 11-man team; we have got 23 players in our squad who can all play, are all confident and all trust each other to know that whoever is playing will do a good job. It showed today what a good squad we have got with some very exciting players.

“We played some great stuff and it is a great feeling to win the game in the way we did. That will almost qualify us with one game to go and we will have to finish the job off on Monday.”

Manutd

Rashford Breaks Rooney"s England Record

EURO 2016: Rashford Makes England Squad, Drinkwater Axed

Marcus Rashford’s sensational rise to prominence has continued after Roy Hodgson named the teenage striker in his final 23-man squad for Euro 2016 at the expense of Danny Drinkwater, Fabian Delph and Andros Townsend.

Hodgson has named five strikers for the summer tournament with Rashford joining Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney, Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge in the squad.

Delph was expected to be left out of the final squad after he picked up a groin injury in training, but Drinkwater and Townsend will be disappointed to miss out following their impressive form for both Leicester and Newcastle in the Premier League.

 

England’s final 23-man squad:

Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Southampton), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Tom Heaton (Burnley).

Defenders: Ryan Betrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham).

Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham), Ross Barkley (Everton), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Liverpool), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).

Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Jamie Vardy (Leicester).

EURO 2016: Rashford Makes England Squad, Drinkwater Axed

Marcus Rashford In England Euro 2016 Squad

Rashford only made his debut for Manchester United on 25 February

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford has been included in Roy Hodgson’s 23-man England squad for the 2016 European Championship in France.

Rashford, 18, scored on his international debut in the 2-1 friendly victory over Australia on Friday.

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is also included, but Newcastle United’s Andros Townsend and Leicester City’s Danny Drinkwater both miss out.

England face Portugal in their last Euro 2016 warm-up match on Thursday.

Hodgson’s side begin their campaign in France by playing Russia on 11 June, before meeting Wales on 16 June and Slovakia on 20 June.

Rashford, who signed a new four-year contract with Manchester United on Monday, only made his professional debut on 25 February, but scored eight goals in 18 club games to earn an international call-up.

Sturridge, 26, missed England’s last two friendly matches but did take part in a training session on Monday.

Drinkwater helped Leicester claim a shock Premier League title, while Townsend was a member of the Newcastle team relegated from the top flight.

Hodgson initially named a 26-man squad after the final round of Premier League games, having intended to reveal his final selection on 12 May.

That was cut to 25 when Manchester City midfielder Fabian Delph was moved to the standby list after picking up an injury.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Tom Heaton (Burnley).

Defenders: Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool).

Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Ross Barkley (Everton), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Liverpool), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).

Strikers: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United).

BBC

Marcus Rashford In England Euro 2016 Squad

United Triumph Over City In Manchester Derby

Marcus Rashford scored on his Manchester derby debut as United all but ended City’s title hopes with a 1-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium.

Marcus Rashford cools shoots pass Joe Hart to give United all three points

The United academy product’s 16th-minute strike proved to be the decisive goal as United ground out a much-needed victory courtesy of Rashford’s fifth goal on his eighth appearance for the club.

Manchester City vs Manchester United

City’s cause was hampered by the loss of Raheem Sterling and Joe Hart in either half to injuries, and they failed to really test David de Gea, Sergio Aguero’s header against the post the closest they came to equalising.

David De Gea celebrates Manchester United’s opening and only goal

The result sees United maintain their quest for Champions League qualification and was the perfect tonic as they atoned for their Europa League exit to Liverpool in style.

 

City remain 15 points adrift of leaders Leicester with just eight games to play and are now mired in the race for the top four, with United, level with fifth-placed West Ham, just a point off their city rivals.

United Triumph Over City In Manchester Derby