Monday 29 August 2016 12:22, UK
Manchester United skipper Wayne Rooney believes Marcus Rashford has a bright future ahead of him for both club and country.
Rashford made an instant impact for United last season, and was rewarded by a call up into the England squad for Euro 2016.
The 18-year-old made an impression again on Saturday when he came off the bench to net the only goal of the game against Hull City in his first Premier League appearance of the new season.
Rashford has still to start for United under Jose Mourinho, and he was not selected by Sam Allardyce for the full England squad announced on Sunday.
But Rashford has been included in the England U21 party, and Rooney has urged the player to be patient.
"Marcus is a fantastic player, one of the brightest talents in European football," Rooney said.
"I'm sure his chance will come. He did brilliantly when he came on and got his goal. He's an important player for us.
"It's still important for his development to go and play with the Under-21s. It's important that he gets games because he hasn't played that much.
"I think it will be good for him. He knows that and he understands that and his time will come and he will get his chance for Manchester United and England."
Allardyce is also confident Rashford will progress, and he insists his inclusion in Gareth Southgate's squad should be looked at positively.
"I think that having international experience in the Under-21s will be invaluable for us later down the line," Allardyce said. "And, if he's breaking into Manchester United's team, he will be in my squad, whenever that's announced.
"But because of his inclusion only as a substitute - as good as it was against Hull City - I think that the value of having probably a full game with Gareth will be invaluable to him and, later on, for us. A bit like Harry Kane and people like that in the past.
"He made a massive impact last season, yes, but he's only a young man, let's not heap too much pressure on him just yet. Let him go and have a feel playing for the Under-21s; hopefully he's a star for them, scores goals for them and gives me that decision next time around on the next squad I pick."
