Marcus Rashford has been tipped for a shock England recall at right-wing after Noni Madueke’s struggles in the win over Norway.
Thomas Tuchel has yet to start the same wing pairing in back-to-back World Cup games and has major decisions to make ahead of Wednesday’s showdown against Argentina.
Madueke has already been told that he has played himself out of England’s starting XI following his horror showing on Saturday.
talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham gave the Arsenal a 1/10 in his post-match player ratings, while he was also slammed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Tuchel had been visibly furious with his No.20 during the first-half of the 2-1 win in the quarter-finals, with Madueke hooked at the break.
However, his Arsenal teammate Bukayo Saka is still having his minutes managed due to an Achilles problem he sustained in March.
The 24-year-old has only been fit enough to start two of England’s six World Cup games, and yet the Three Lions’ first venture into extra-time saw him clock up his longest single appearance on Saturday.
Due to the rapid turnaround to face Argentina, Tuchel may have to get creative by recalling Rashford to play out on the right instead.
Rashford recall in new England position?
That is the opinion of talkSPORT’s Darren Bent, who believes the Three Lions head coach has ‘got to worry about a team that he feels can be competitive against Argentina’.
He told Drive: “I don’t think Noni Madueke plays, but he might even gamble and go, ‘Do you know what, if Saka’s not 100 per cent fit, let’s try Rashford out there, get Rashford out there.’
“On the right-hand side and [Anthony] Gordon on the left,” Bent continued. “Just to try something different.”
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‘Didn’t work for Madueke at all’
Madueke failed to create a single chance against Norway and completed just one successful dribble across his 28 touches.
“I hate being overly critical on players because I understand what it takes to get to that level in terms of playing for your country; it’s hard,” Bent added.
“But when you put in that level of performance that Noni did, where you’re offside in positions where you should never be offside, you’ve got the perfect position to stand on the touchline and look along the line… he’s getting that wrong. He’s offside.
“First two [he’s offside]. Then he goes past his full-back; he hits the ball out of play for a goal kick.
“Then all of a sudden he’s scared to take his full-back on, he goes backwards. It just didn’t work for him at all, Noni Madueke.”
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Rashford stats at right-wing
Rashford hasn’t played a minute across England’s last two matches, after appearing in each of the first four World Cup games.
He remains the only Three Lions goalscorer at the tournament outside of the top two of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.
Rashford played the majority of last season on loan at Barcelona on the left-wing, which he has described as his favoured position.
The Manchester United academy graduate previously told Gary Neville of his difficulties in translating his game to the right side.
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He explained to the Overlap: “When you’re on the left wing, if you’re late, sometimes making the back post is a 20-30 yard sprint. If the striker pulls to the back and you’ve got to go across the front, then it’s another 15 yards.”
Yet that hasn’t tallied with Rashford’s recent output at right-wing, where he was deployed on several occasions for Barcelona last term.
The 28-year-old registered a goal contribution in every one of his five LaLiga appearances in the position, having scored three goals and laid on two assists.
