Unai Emery has provided the platform for this latest Marcus Rashford inclusion. The Spaniard has given the longtime Manchester United player something of a career lifeline. At least, it is enough for Thomas Tuchel to name him to the England squad.
The attacking player hasn’t found favor with Manchester United under Ruben Amorim. He has furthermore been excluded from international duties since around this time last year. At Aston Villa, however, he’s looking more the part. He’ll aim to impress for his country, as he has been out on loan in Birmingham.
Glimmer Of Hope
Embed from Getty ImagesTo be a top player in the world, two things need to take place. Firstly, a player needs to receive regular first-team minutes. Secondly, he needs to make the squads when the international manager names his roster for friendlies or whichever competitions are being prepared for.
For Rashford, the once-promising talent, he has seen nothing close to this being his reality. In truth, his name draws more fame than the on-field product more often than not. This has since shifted with a loan move to Villa Park, however.
His current manager, Emery, appears to be able to say the right things and position him in an ideal role that is best suited for his skill set. While not necessarily always starting (going against the usual path for the call-up), he has done well. At least, he’s done well enough for Thomas Tuchel to pick him as England gets ready to face Albania and Latvia toward the end of the month.
Why This Marcus Rashford Inclusion Is Notable
These World Cup qualification matches are important. Being named to this roster, consequently, is far from a token selection. The new England manager, Thomas Tuchel, knows how high the expectations are. He’s tasked with producing a winning side. This starts with comfortably getting through to the 2026 World Cup.
This is to say, the Marcus Rashford inclusion wouldn’t be made on a whim. Instead, the 27-year-old has earned consideration to be a part of this team.
Compared to other systems, Unai Emery gives the opposition a more aggressive attack to worry about. Seeing Rashford playing more open and free with Aston Villa is shining him in a brighter light. More importantly, it appears that the pressure of playing away from Old Trafford is doing him a lot of good.
Around this time last year, few would have believed that the winger would deserve a discussion to be included. Since being under the guidance of Unai Emery, this concern has flipped.
It is not a redemption story at the moment. It’s far from it, for the time being. This Marcus Rashford inclusion needs the player rewarding Thomas Tuchel’s trust. When he, furthermore, returns to his club, the England international will need to show he can play at a high level on a consistent basis.
For now, however, these are encouraging signs for the player. Many had written him off. A strong two-game stretch and end to the season would make future ENG inclusions less of a headline and more of an assumed given.