Marcus Rashford sent major 'old routines' warning by Thomas Tuchel despite returning to England squad following fine form on Aston Villa loan
Marcus Rashford has earned a recall to the England national team under new manager Thomas Tuchel, following his impressive performances during his loan spell at Aston Villa. The Manchester United forward, who had been frozen out under Ruben Amorim in December, has successfully reignited his career under Unai Emery at Villa Park.
Since joining Villa on a temporary basis, Rashford has become an integral part of Emery's setup, featuring in all nine matches and contributing four assists. While he hasn't found the net himself, his overall influence has been significant, averaging a goal contribution every 116 minutes. This resurgence has caught the attention of Tuchel, who has included Rashford in his squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
However, Tuchel's praise came with a clear warning for the 26-year-old forward. "I felt that he had a huge impact at Aston Villa, mostly from the bench," Tuchel told reporters. "The impact was impressive. The physical impact was impressive and most importantly, his work rate, his defensive ability and tracking back was impressive."
The German coach continued with a pointed message about consistency: "I had the strong feeling that we should nominate him, bring him in and to push him to stay on that level to not fall back on old routines."
This marks Rashford's first national team selection since March 2024, signaling a potential fresh start under Tuchel's leadership. The England squad announcement also saw the return of Jordan Henderson, while Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly and Newcastle defender Dan Burn received their first call-ups. Notable omissions include Morgan Gibbs-White and Jack Grealish, who both failed to make the cut despite their recent performances.
Tuchel will make his debut as England manager in the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with matches scheduled against Albania on March 21 and Latvia on March 24. These fixtures will provide the first glimpse of how the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager plans to shape the Three Lions moving forward, and whether Rashford can cement his place in the new manager's plans.
