England v Australia: Man Utd whiz can shine in Euros audition
Published:
England face Australia in their penultimate friendly fixture before jetting off to Euro 2016 and the name on a nation’s lips is Marcus Rashford.
With Jamie Vardy set to wed and Daniel Sturridge suffering another innocuous injury, Manchester United’s teenage hotshot is rumoured to be in line for a start at the Stadium of Light.
Given the way Rashford seized his opportunity when thrust into the limelight at Old Trafford this season, the 18-year-old is unlikely to be phased by his full England bow.
Since Rashford received the first-team call back in February, his performances in a United shirt have been nothing short of sensational given his tender years.
The Red Devils academy product launched his career with a Europa League brace on his full debut and never looked back, finishing up with eight goals in 18 appearances.
Even in spite of this, though, given the unusually rich stocks of strikers available to England manager Roy Hodgson, selecting Rashford in his preliminary 26-man squad still raised eyebrows.
Vardy and Harry Kane were certain to be ahead of Rashford in Hodgson’s Euro 2016 plans, as was a fit Sturridge, who enjoyed another prolific spell for Liverpool in the second part of the 2015/16 season.
However, it seems that the cookie has crumbled favourably for the young centre-forward with Australia in town, as Sturridge’s fitness may come back to bite him.
If he does indeed get the nod on Wearside from the off, then it would be no surprise if Rashford christened his debut with a goal against the Socceroos.
That eventuality can be backed at a fairly skinny price of 11/10.
Those with more faith in England’s latest answer to a young Wayne Rooney or Michael Owen, may wish to push the boat out a little further though.
Rashford is a 7/2 chance to bag the opener and an offering of 11/2 says he repeats his United debut heroics by firing in two or more.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
