Mourinho: ‘It doesn’t matter to Southgate if Rashford plays’

Jose Mourinho has dismissed concerns over Marcus Rashford’s lack of game-time as the World Cup approaches, putting the ball in Gareth Southgate’s court by saying the forward will be selected if the England manager trusts him.

It is hard to believe it has only been two years since the Manchester United academy graduate burst onto the scene, following up a debut brace against FC Midtjylland with thrilling displays that saw the teenager fast-tracked into Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2016 squad.

Rashford has gone on to win 15 caps and become an important member of the England squad, but Southgate is reported to have grown concerned about the 20-year-old’s lack of starts for United.