Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson only have themselves to blame for Euro 2024 snubs: Winners and losers as England manager Gareth Southgate finally shows his ruthless side while Crystal Palace earn as many call-ups as Man City
Gareth Southgate has left his past behind and embraced the future by naming a bold and exciting provisional England squad for the European Championship. Jordan Henderson is gone, probably for good, while Raheem Sterling’s international career has just received its winding up order. But if those exclusions could have been envisaged, the absence of Marcus Rashford has sent shockwaves through English football.
Even though he has had a dismal season for Manchester United, Rashford has mostly remained a regular starter for Erik ten Hag. But Southgate has shown no mercy, punishing the forward for his remarkable drop-off this season and giving a simple explanation: “I just feel other players in that area of the pitch have had better seasons. That’s it”.
Southgate has an embarrassment of riches available to him in attack, with Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon fully deserving their places in the squad at Rashford’s expense. The coach has also recalled the sparkling Eberechi Eze and given a surprise call-up to his Crystal Palace team-mate Adam Wharton.
There’s no place for Eric Dier, but Southgate has shown faith with young centre-backs Jarrad Branthwaite and Jarrell Quansah. The manager has not completely overhauled his squad though, and it is telling that he has pinned his faith on Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw making full recoveries after injury-ravaged seasons.
Crystal Palace trump Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United as Gareth Southgate names England squad
Crystal Palace have proven that the days of ‘the big six’ dominating the England squad may be gone.
Gareth Southgate announced his Three Lions squad for Euro 2024 with some rather notable inclusions.
