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Former Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic has criticized England manager Gareth Southgate’s decision to leave Marcus Rashford out of his EURO 2024 squad.
The Serbian will be closely watching England as his nation takes on the Three Lions on Sunday, June 16th, in the opening match of group C.
Rashford has faced numerous challenges this season, both on and off the field.
After a fantastic 2022/2023 season where he scored 30 goals in all competitions, his performance drastically declined.
He only managed to score eight goals throughout the entire season and appeared lethargic and frustrated for the most part.
Unfortunately, his issues extended beyond the football pitch, as he faced public criticism for a 12-hour drinking binge in Belfast just before a training session.
Such a decline in form has led to a significant portion of Manchester United fans indicating that they would be willing to sell Rashford this summer.
The most disappointing moment of his season came when he was excluded from England’s preliminary squad, with Southgate defending his decision by stating that other players in the same position had performed better.
Despite the logic behind Southgate’s decision, former United midfielder Nemanja Matic disagrees.
Matic criticized Southgate’s choice, stating, “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
Despite Rashford’s poor season, there is still merit to Matic’s argument as he has shown flashes of brilliance, such as his memorable strike against Manchester City in March.
Even in a challenging season, Rashford managed to score against top teams like Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, and Manchester City, proving his ability to perform on big occasions.
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