Southgate’s warning to Rashford and Grealish

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By Sam Wallace
Gareth Southgate has told Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish that they face a battle for their places in England’s European Championship squad with competition intense in the attacking positions and the pair struggling for form this season.
The Manchester United attacker was named in Southgate’s squad for the friendlies against Brazil on Friday and Belgium three days later, although Grealish was left out despite a return for Manchester City from a groin problem likely to be imminent. 
There was a first call-up for the uncapped Anthony Gordon, who is providing new competition for established players. Both Rashford and Grealish had excellent seasons last time around but have struggled to replicate that form for their clubs this time. Grealish has not scored since December 16 and is yet to start a Premier League game for City in 2024.
Rashford’s problems have become even bigger in scope with a slump in form – briefly rallying with goals in his two previous games – and an unauthorised mini-break in Belfast, which propelled him onto the front pages in January.
Asked about Rashford’s situation, Southgate said: “He has a battle on his hands with Gordon, with [Cole] Palmer, with [Phil] Foden. We’ve got big competition for places in that area of the field. What happens while players are with their clubs [with regards to Rashford] is club matters because they know the full story. They know exactly what’s going on.
“Obviously, we observe everything. We don’t miss anything. I don’t say behaviours off the field are irrelevant because, clearly, they’re not. But the key thing is we are mainly focusing on the performances on the field. He [Rashford] has got big competition. So has Jack.
“These guys – Gordon, [Jarrod] Bowen – are playing well. They’re scoring regularly. They perform well for the team, they defend well, they work hard, they compete. We’ve got really good options in that area of the pitch.”
Asked specifically about the future for the pair, Southgate returned to a common theme of his that none could be certain of their place. While that does not hold for key players like Harry Kane and John Stones, Southgate said he had proved the point by leaving out Kalvin Phillips.
“I can’t guarantee anybody. We have an environment where we know in certain positions who our best players might be. Kalvin Phillips I think is still in that position, but at this minute, I can’t go with that [select him]. So I’m hoping he can hit that form. We know what Marcus can bring to us but equally everybody has got to perform well between now and the end of the season. That’s the environment we’re in.”
One player Southgate categorically ruled out was Mason Greenwood, the exiled United winger on loan at Getafe, saying: “Well, for me I don’t think it’s something for pre-Euros. I think allowing him to get his career going again abroad appears to have been a good move but I have to say I have not tracked it closely. 
“I think at this moment in time it would be a big distraction for the team.”
England are in Group C alongside Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia.
The top two teams from each group of four will qualify for the round of 16, along with the four best third-place teams. The tournament will then follow a one-leg knock-out format until the champion is crowned in the final.
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Gareth Southgate has revealed in-form Arsenal defender Ben White does not want to be selected by England at the moment.
The 26-year-old has starred for the Premier League leaders this season but has not featured for the national team since the 2022 World Cup.
White returned early from Qatar for what the Football Association called “personal reasons” and reports later emerged of an alleged bust-up with England assistant Steve Holland.
Southgate denied any such bust-up on Thursday, when he had hoped to include the defender in his squad for March’s Euro 2024 warm-up friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.
The manager revealed White would otherwise have been in his 25-man squad, explaining: “Clearly on form I can’t sit here and say he doesn’t deserve to be in.
“We, John McDermott and I, had a call from Edu (Arsenal sporing director) last week (and he) said Ben didn’t want to be considered for England squads at this time.
“For me that is a great shame. He is a player we took to the Euros, a player we took to the World Cup and I spoke to him post-Qatar because I wanted to pick him.
“He is not available to us and there is no issue between us at all and I also should say there is never any issue with (coach) Steve Holland because that has been mentioned in articles and I don’t like that.
“I want that door wide open. He would be in this squad but he’s not available to us and I have to focus on who can help us.”
Meanwhile, Jarrad Branthwaite and Anthony Gordon have received their first England call-ups but there was no place for Kalvin Phillips in Southgate’s last squad before making his Euro 2024 selection.
Joe Gomez, who won the last of his 11 senior caps in October 2020, has returned from the international wilderness for March’s Wembley friendlies against Belgium and Brazil.
Ivan Toney is back involved at the first opportunity after serving an eight-month Football Association betting ban, but Raheem Sterling is conspicuous by his absence once again.
Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
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