Gareth Southgate sends warning to Marcus Rashford over off-field behaviour
- Rashford missed training last week after being spotted in a Belfast nightclub
- Manchester United forward dropped before 'accepting responsibility' and returning to the team
- Southgate will soon pick England's squad for Euro 2024
By Tom Gott
Gareth Southgate has warned Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford that his behaviour away from the pitch is also being watched in the build-up to England's squad announcement for Euro 2024.
Rashford was dropped by United for their 4-2 win over Newport County in the FA Cup fourth round after missing training the morning after being spotted in a Belfast nightclub, having initially reported himself to be too unwell to train.
United boss Erik ten Hag later confirmed the 26-year-old had "accepted responsibility" for the incident and Rashford was soon reintegrated into the first-team fold.
However, Southgate has now cast doubt over Rashford's place in England's squad with a warning to the forward about his conduct.
"We’re five weeks away from picking a squad, although so much happens to players over the period between November and March that we’re always sitting and observing everything on and off the pitch," he said.
"Then in a few weeks’ time we’ll have decisions to make on the whole squad and there’s going to be a lot of attention on that because it’s the final squad before the Euros."
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England face Brazil and Belgium in two friendlies late in March, and while that group does not necessarily need to be Southgate's final squad for this summer's tournament, the boss will likely try to avoid making too many changes.
Rashford, who has 59 caps for England, has been a regular in the Three Lions squad but is not a guaranteed starter, with Southgate often spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting the third player in his attacking line to compliment Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka.
The likes of Jack Grealish, Cole Palmer, Raheem Sterling, James Maddison and Phil Foden are all battling with Rashford for a place in Southgate's final squad.
At club level, Rashford has five goals and six assists in 28 games for United this season, including four goal involvements in his last five Premier League outings.
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