Rio Ferdinand believes Marcus Rashford has been the best striker in the country since making his debut for Manchester United and should be recalled to the England squad.

Rashford, 18, made his United bow back in February, scoring two goals in a Europa League win against Midtjylland, and has racked up another 10 strikes for his club since then.

Despite scoring on his England debut in May and taking part in Euro 2016, the youngster missed out on a place in the last Three Lions squad, instead having to settle for a spot in the under-21s, where he went on to score a hat trick against Norway earlier this month.

"I think Marcus Rashford should be selected for the [England] senior squad next week and be unleashed against Malta," Ferdinand wrote in the Evening Standard.

"Including his hat trick for the under-21s against Norway earlier this month, no English striker has scored more goals since he made his professional debut in February.

"I don't care how old you are, that record warrants a place in the squad. He has been the best striker in this country since February in terms of output -- the statistics don't lie."

Ferdinand also spoke about Rashford's United teammate Wayne Rooney, who was dropped to the bench by Jose Mourinho for last week's 4-1 win over Leicester City.

Former United captain Ferdinand believes time out of the team could be good for the striker, while he insists it is "ridiculous" to write him off.

"Wayne Rooney won't feel like this right now but being left out of the Manchester United starting lineup could be the best thing that has happened to him," Ferdinand wrote.

"I know what it feels like. It happened to me at United and I remember feeling bitter and thinking it was a disgrace. But I refocused and the hunger and spark came back.

"This is a great time for Wayne to re-evaluate his game, his training-ground routine, his methods off the pitch and at home and how he gets ready for a game. I am sure he will be able to recharge mentally and physically to go again. I think it will do him the world of good, just as it did for me. Wayne won't sit down and take this lightly. He will want to prove to people 'I am still the man.'

"I think it's ridiculous that at 30 years old, so many people are writing him off. We have seen players like Andrea Pirlo playing at a World Cup when he was 35. Wayne knows the time will soon come that he will be smiling again rather than how he's feeling right now.

"But it is still up to Jose Mourinho to decide whether to bring him back in for the Europa League on Thursday or if leaving him out of the Leicester game has hurt him enough.

"When you win 4-1 against the champions as United did against Leicester on Saturday, I don't care who it is, it's very hard to change the team. Should Rooney continue to be left out, he will be worried about what effect it may have on his England place."

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by ESPN Staff

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