The Manchester United forward says he wants to be “available for every game” despite not being in optimal physical condition
Marcus Rashford has admitted that he is not performing at his best as he continues to be hampered by a shoulder injury ahead of England’s Euro 2020 clash with Germany.
Rashford earned a place in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the European Championships after another impressive campaign at Manchester United which saw him record 21 goals and 15 assists in 57 outings across all competitions.
However, the 23-year-old revealed he’d been playing through pain for months after the Red Devils’ Europa League final defeat to Villarreal in May, and a persistent shoulder problem is still affecting him to this day.
What’s been said?
“I am not performing at my best,” Rashford said. “It has been going on since early on in the season. I managed to get through the season with United.
“I think I had 36 goal involvements so I can’t look back at the year and say: ‘Mmm, I should have taken time off to do this and do that.’
“That’s just not the way I look at things. I just want to be available for every game.”
Pressed on whether he will undergo surgery on his shoulder, the United forward responded: “The doctors have not said yet. The reason I don’t know is that when the season was going, and before I came here, I knew there was no chance I was going to be getting the operation.
“I did not know how long the operation would put me out for. I never bothered to ask. When the tournament is finished I will ask.”
Rashford out to make ‘history’ against Germany
Rashford appeared as a substitute in all three of England’s group stage matches, and will be in line to feature once again when Southgate’s side come up against Germany in the round of 16.
The striker is well aware that the Three Lions will have to play to their maximum to overcome Joachim Low’s men, but he is confident they can rise to the challenge and make “history” at Wembley on Tuesday.
“We know to win the tournament we are going to have to beat the best teams,” said Rashford. “We have to bring the best version of us. We want to win the ‘England Way’ – show some good football, work hard for each other and score and create goals.
“We are being put in a position where we are blessed to be part of that history. Our main focus is to win the game, but if we do it gets put in history.
“That’s how great teams are remembered for many, many years. There is no point in fearing the past. You can’t go back and change it.
“What we can change is the result of the next game and put ourselves in the best possible position to win.”
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