BURTON, England: Marcus Rashford was left out of England’s provisional squad for the European Championship on Tuesday.
The Manchester United striker has paid the price for a disappointing season at club level and failed to make the cut for Gareth Southgate’s initial 33-man selection.
Jordan Henderson and Reece James were also left out.
“These are difficult calls, you are talking about players who are very good players who have been an important part of what we have done,” Southgate said. “With Marcus, I feel players in the same area of the pitch have had better seasons, it’s as simple as that.”
Rashford was arguably the biggest name to be omitted — especially after enjoying a career-best campaign two seasons ago when he scored 34 goals for club and country.
It has been a different story over the past year when he has managed just eight goals for a United team that suffered their lowest-ever Premier League finish — eighth.
He responded later on Instagram to say he was “Wishing Gareth and the boys all the best” for the Euros.
The squad will eventually be reduced to 26 players on June 8, with the Euros kicking off in Germany on June 14.
Rashford’s United teammate Kobbie Mainoo was selected after an outstanding breakthrough season and Chelsea forward Cole Palmer was also included.
Palmer was likely one of the forward options Southgate referred to when explaining Rashford’s omission after he scored 22 Premier League goals in his first season at Chelsea — a record only bettered by Erling Haaland.
Henderson and James were also notable omissions.
Former Liverpool captain Henderson misses out after his decision to leave Anfield for the Saudi Arabian league last year, while James’ absence comes on the back of an injury-plagued campaign for Chelsea.
Henderson has remained a part of England’s set up despite his controversial decision to join Al-Ettifaq. He left after just six months and completed a move to Dutch giant Ajax, but a muscle injury late in the season convinced Southgate to leave him out.
“Hendo has given himself every chance. The determining factor is the injury he picked up around the last camp. He’s missed five weeks,” Southgate said. “He hasn’t been able to get to the intensity in the games since then.”
James, who missed the Qatar World Cup because of a knee injury, has struggled with his fitness for much of the past season and played only 11 games.
Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones were called up for the first time, as well as Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton.
Southgate said United defender Luke Shaw is “up against it” to prove his fitness after an injury-disrupted season.
“This has been as complicated a group as I can remember picking, and we’ve had quite a few complicated ones,” the England manager said.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley)
Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
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Gordon’s memorable night on the shores of the Caspian Sea ensured the second leg at St. James’ Park on February 24 should be a mere formality.
Barring a miracle comeback from Qarabag, Eddie Howe’s side will face Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16.
Having ended Newcastle’s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the League Cup last season, Howe set his sights on more history this week, admitting it would “mean everything” to steer them into the Champions League last 16 for the first time.
Howe’s cherished target is now within touching distance.
Booed off less than two weeks ago after a defeat against Brentford, Newcastle made the 2,529-mile trip to Baku revitalized by successive away victories against Tottenham in the Premier League and Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
It was the longest journey any English team had ever made for a Champions League knockout game, but there was no sign of fatigue as Newcastle ripped Qarabag to shreds.
Gordon started as Newcastle’s central striker as Howe again deployed misfiring German forward Nick Woltemade in a deeper role.
- Gordon runs riot -
Howe’s decision to make Gordon the focal point of his attack paid off after just three minutes.
Dan Burn advanced from defense and played a perfect pass toward Gordon, who timed his run to beat the Qarabag offside trap before planting a clinical finish into the far corner from 12 yards.
Qarabag beat Benfica, Copenhagen and Eintracht Frankfurt and drew with Chelsea in the group stage.
Yet it was their 6-0 thrashing at Liverpool in the last game of the phase that proved more relevant as Newcastle doubled their advantage in the eighth minute.
Kieran Trippier’s pin-point cross picked out Thiaw and he guided a composed header past Mateusz Kochalski from close range.
Newcastle were carving open the creaky Qarabag defense at will and their barrage brought a third goal in the 32nd minute.
Matheus Silva blocked Harvey Barnes’ shot with his arm as he slid along the turf and Gordon stroked in the resulting penalty.
Gordon bagged his third goal in predatory style just 60 seconds later, seizing on Kevin Medina’s slip and rounding Kochalski to slot into the empty net.
It was Gordon’s first professional hat-trick, making him only the third Newcastle player to score a Champions League treble after Shearer and Faustino Asprilla.
Gordon’s 33-minute haul was also the fastest Champions League hat-trick by an English player.
The 24-year-old wasn’t finished yet and his break into the area ended with Kochalski fouling him, conceding a penalty that Gordon converted with ease.
Jafarguliyev got one back in the 54th minute with a low drive that was initially disallowed for offside before VAR allowed the goal to stand.
Murphy notched his first goal in the Champions League in the 72nd minute, whipping a deflected strike past Kochalski to put the seal on Newcastle’s perfect evening.
Man United’s Rashford left out of England’s provisional Euro 2024 squad after disappointing season
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Man United’s Rashford left out of England’s provisional Euro 2024 squad after disappointing season
- “These are difficult calls, you are talking about players who are very good players who have been an important part of what we have done,” Southgate said
- Rashford was arguably the biggest name to be omitted
Gordon scores four as Newcastle hit Qarabag for six
- Gordon stole the show by netting four times before half-time
- England forward Gordon has netted 14 times this season, including 10 in the Champions League
BAKU: Anthony Gordon starred with a brilliant four-goal haul as Newcastle crushed Qarabag 6-1 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie on Wednesday.
Gordon stole the show by netting four times before half-time at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium.
Malick Thiaw was also on target for Newcastle before the interval and Jacob Murphy netted after the break to complete the demolition.
Elvin Jafarguliyev’s second-half reply was little consolation for Azerbaijani underdogs Qarabag, who paid the price for wretched defending in a miserable performance.
England forward Gordon has netted 14 times this season, including 10 in the Champions League, taking him past Alan Shearer as Newcastle’s highest scorer in a single campaign in Europe’s elite club competition.
Gordon’s memorable night on the shores of the Caspian Sea ensured the second leg at St. James’ Park on February 24 should be a mere formality.
Barring a miracle comeback from Qarabag, Eddie Howe’s side will face Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16.
Having ended Newcastle’s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the League Cup last season, Howe set his sights on more history this week, admitting it would “mean everything” to steer them into the Champions League last 16 for the first time.
Howe’s cherished target is now within touching distance.
Booed off less than two weeks ago after a defeat against Brentford, Newcastle made the 2,529-mile trip to Baku revitalized by successive away victories against Tottenham in the Premier League and Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
It was the longest journey any English team had ever made for a Champions League knockout game, but there was no sign of fatigue as Newcastle ripped Qarabag to shreds.
Gordon started as Newcastle’s central striker as Howe again deployed misfiring German forward Nick Woltemade in a deeper role.
- Gordon runs riot -
Howe’s decision to make Gordon the focal point of his attack paid off after just three minutes.
Dan Burn advanced from defense and played a perfect pass toward Gordon, who timed his run to beat the Qarabag offside trap before planting a clinical finish into the far corner from 12 yards.
Qarabag beat Benfica, Copenhagen and Eintracht Frankfurt and drew with Chelsea in the group stage.
Yet it was their 6-0 thrashing at Liverpool in the last game of the phase that proved more relevant as Newcastle doubled their advantage in the eighth minute.
Kieran Trippier’s pin-point cross picked out Thiaw and he guided a composed header past Mateusz Kochalski from close range.
Newcastle were carving open the creaky Qarabag defense at will and their barrage brought a third goal in the 32nd minute.
Matheus Silva blocked Harvey Barnes’ shot with his arm as he slid along the turf and Gordon stroked in the resulting penalty.
Gordon bagged his third goal in predatory style just 60 seconds later, seizing on Kevin Medina’s slip and rounding Kochalski to slot into the empty net.
It was Gordon’s first professional hat-trick, making him only the third Newcastle player to score a Champions League treble after Shearer and Faustino Asprilla.
Gordon’s 33-minute haul was also the fastest Champions League hat-trick by an English player.
The 24-year-old wasn’t finished yet and his break into the area ended with Kochalski fouling him, conceding a penalty that Gordon converted with ease.
Jafarguliyev got one back in the 54th minute with a low drive that was initially disallowed for offside before VAR allowed the goal to stand.
Murphy notched his first goal in the Champions League in the 72nd minute, whipping a deflected strike past Kochalski to put the seal on Newcastle’s perfect evening.
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