Marcus Rashford injury: Gareth Southgate monitoring forward ahead of Euro 2020
Deadline for Euro 2020 squad submission is June 4; Man Utd game-time, matchday fitness and Harry Kane's availability likely to play a part in selection
Thursday 20 February 2020 17:26, UK
Gareth Southgate is monitoring the situation with Marcus Rashford's injury as he continues preparations for his Euro 2020 squad selection.
It is very unlikely Rashford will be included in England's squad for the Euros if he does not play for Manchester United in the closing stages of the season.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer warned the 22-year-old might miss the tournament and said it is "touch and go" whether he will be fit enough to return to action this season due to a double stress fracture in his back suffered after coming on as a substitute in United's FA Cup win over Wolves in January.
As is the case with all players in England contention, the FA's medical team are in contact with their club counterparts to share information as and when necessary.
UEFA rules state each association must complete the squad list for the final tournament "at least 10 full days before the opening match" and, with England making their debut against Croatia on June 14, that means Southgate will have until June 4 to make his choice.
What could affect Rashford's presence?
Southgate's philosophy has always been that, to get into his England side, players have to be featuring regularly and playing well, at the top level, for their club side.
Rashford has been an ever-present name in the England squad since Southgate's appointment, but there are many factors that could affect whether he would make an exception for Euro 2020 selection.
These include firstly the availability of other attacking options - and Tottenham forward Harry Kane in particular, who is also facing a long-term absence after undergoing surgery on a broken hamstring tendon suffered at Southampton on New Year's Day.
The England captain is working towards a return to fitness in May, with Jose Mourinho hoping he will be available for the final two Premier League games of the season - but the Spurs boss added that the striker's Euro 2020 selection is "a problem for Southgate and for Steve Holland, not for me".
What is also likely to play a key role in Rashford's chances of international football in June is the stage of his recovery and the medical advice on the likelihood of a repeated injury should his comeback be rushed.
Southgate will also be thinking about how likely the United forward would be to be able to cope with the rigours of tournament football, with matches every four or five days.
However, it will all rotate around how much game time Rashford will have actually had by the start of the tournament and how well he has been able to perform on the pitch.
Have there been any exceptions?
Southgate has always maintained form and game time are paramount in regards to a spot in his squad, but he has made exceptions to his selection rules in the past and there is a wide range of examples suggesting it won't be so black-or-white.
In August last year, Rashford's United team-mate Jesse Lingard kept his slot despite failing to score or assist a Premier League goal in the entirety of 2019.
Harry Winks and Ross Barkley were called up in October and November, despite the Tottenham midfielder amassing only two Premier League starts in seven weeks, and his Chelsea counterpart starting one game in the previous five weeks.
Last November also saw the return of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, despite his two Premier League starts to that point in the season and the Liverpool midfielder having missed the previous 18 months with serious knee and hamstring injuries.
Adam Lallana was selected for Southgate's first squad after the World Cup in August 2018, despite playing one league game throughout the previous season and appearing as a substitute once in the opening 3 games of that Premier League campaign.
Jack Butland also kept his place after the World Cup in the autumn internationals, despite being relegated to the Championship with Stoke.
