Explained: Why struggling Man Utd forward Marcus Rashford joined up with the England squad late

Marcus Rashford’s inclusion in the England squad was postponed until the final days preceding the Euro 2024 qualifiers against North Macedonia and Malta.

Rashford has recently joined England following manager Gareth Southgate’s call-up. His evaluation will have taken place prior to his arrival, and since the Three Lions have already qualified for Euro 2024, the manager will have a chance to experiment with players over the course of the next two matches.

As reported by the Daily Telegraph, United manager Gary Southgate granted the striker time to attend to “personal matters,” a similar allowance that was extended to Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips. Although he scored in England’s 3-1 victory over Italy, which solidified their qualification for the most recent international break, Rashford has only contributed to one goal for the club this season.

The 26-year-old has amassed 17 goals and 57 appearances for England. The previous encounter between the Three Lions and North Macedonia, which Southgate’s squad won 7-0 at Wembley, he both scored and assisted.

He will be evaluated by the medical personnel of England prior to the commencement of the matches. The fact that England has already secured a position in the 2024 tournament may allow him to recuperate. However, finishing in first place still requires the accumulation of points.