Rashford set for seniors call-up after U21 omission

Matt Stead

Marcus Rashford looks certain to be in Gareth Southgate’s first England squad after he was left out of the under-21s forthcoming double header.

The Manchester United forward was not selected in Sam Allardyce’s only match in charge of the Three Lions, instead scoring a hat-trick on his England Under-21 bow against Norway.

Southgate was in the dugout for that match and, having taken over the seniors following Allardyce’s embarrassing exit after a solitary game in charge, is now set to restore the 18-year-old for the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia.

Rashford was a surprise inclusion in Roy Hodgson Euro 2016 squad, bypassing the Under-21s entirely, and scored three minutes into his debut in a friendly win over Australia.

He also impressed in a couple of brief cameos against Wales and Iceland, emerging as one of few Englishman to leave France with any credit.

Rashford began the season in a peripheral role under new boss Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, but has forced his way into the starting side and found the net in his last three matches.

With Harry Kane injured, there is at least one place up for grabs in attack.

Southampton’s Nathan Redmond had also been tipped for a possible call-up by Southgate but he will remain with the Young Lions for now.

He was named in a 22-man squad that will travel to Kazakhstan on October 6 and host Bosnia & Herzegovina in Walsall five days later, with a point in the former enough to book a spot at Euro 2017 in Poland.

Aidy Boothroyd takes charge of the team, promoted from the under-20s to cover Southgate’s secondment.

Bristol City’s on-loan Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, who has scored 10 goals in 13 games for the Robins this term, is in line to win his first cap.

Brendon Galloway, Mason Holgate, Isaac Hayden and goalkeepers Jonathan Mitchell and Freddie Woodman are the other uncapped names in Boothroyd’s squad.