Thomas Tuchel has conceded that Marcus Rashford has failed to produce 'wow' performances for England, following a lacklustre display in Saturday's 2-0 win over Andorra at Wembley. The Manchester United forward, currently on loan at Barcelona, has yet to register a goal or assist for the Catalan club, prompting speculation that the loan could be cut short.
Rashford, 27, started just one of Barcelona's opening three La Liga matches and was substituted at half-time in last month's victory over Levante. Despite his struggles, Tuchel has kept faith in the forward since taking charge of the Three Lions, but admitted post-match that Rashford has not lived up to expectations in an England shirt.
“He struggles a bit with numbers and with the ‘wow’ performance in an England shirt, I agree,” Tuchel said. “But as long as he trains like he did and behaves and is active and alive in the group, then we will always trust him and push him and support him. I can see that he tries.”
Rashford himself acknowledged his slow start at Barcelona, citing the high intensity of training. “Preseason has been tough; I finished exhausted after every session,” he said. “It’s not just about running—it’s about working with the ball and keeping a constant level. That’s what really takes the most effort.”
England next face Serbia on Tuesday, where Rashford will hope for more minutes. He will then return to club action as Barcelona visit Newcastle United in the Champions League.
