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Former Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic has blasted England manager Gareth Southgate’s decision to omit Marcus Rashford from his EURO 2024 squad.
The Serbian will be paying close attention to England as his nation take on the Three Lions on Sunday 16th June in the opening match of group C.
Rashford has endured the most difficult season of his career with myriad problems on and off the field.
After performing wonderfully in the 2022/2023 season, scoring 30 goals in all competitions, his form has fallen off a cliff.
He only scored eight goals all season and cut a lethargic and frustrated figure throughout the majority of the campaign.
Unfortunately, the 26 year old’s problems extended beyond the white lines and he was publicly criticised for a 12 hour drinking bender in Belfast hours before he was due in to train.
Such has the stock of the United academy product fallen that in a recent survey conducted by the Manchester Evening News, 51% of United fans said they would be happy to sell the forward this summer.
Probably the most frustrating aspect of his season on a personal level arrived when he discovered he had been left out of England’s preliminary squad, with Southgate defending his decision by stating, “I just feel other players in that area of the pitch have had better seasons.”
While it is hard to argue with this logic, one man who does not agree is former United midfield general, Nemanja Matic.
The former Serbia international took to X to criticise Southgate’s decision claiming, “I would always like to have players like Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish in the team, players who can decide the game with one move! Not selected/good news for us.”
I would always like to have players like @MarcusRashford and @JackGrealish in the team, players who can decide the game with one move!Not selected/good news for us 🇷🇸
— Nemanja Matic (@NemanjaMatic) June 7, 2024
There is certainly logic to Matic’s argument as despite the Mancunian’s poor form, he is still capable of a moment of magic like his wonderful strike at the Etihad in March.
Even in this most terrible of seasons, he has still scored against Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester City, proving he can turn up on the big occasion.
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