Marcus Rashford among three players to withdraw from England squad

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 20 March 2023

Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Nick Pope all withdraw injured from the England squad for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers with Italy and Ukraine.

Manchester United attacker Marcus Rashford has been forced to pull out of England's squad for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers through injury.

The 25-year-old was on the field for 83 minutes during Sunday's 3-1 FA Cup quarter-final win over Fulham, having sustained a knock earlier in the contest.

Rashford was able to carry on after sustaining the issue prior to Aleksandar Mitrovic's opener, but he was unable to complete the full 90 in a concerning sight for Red Devils fans.

Having amassed 27 goals and nine assists in 44 games throughout the 2022-23 season, Rashford would have been pushing to start for England in their Euro 2024 qualifiers with Italy and Ukraine later this month.

However, the Three Lions have now announced that the striker will play no part in the upcoming clashes as he continues his recovery with his club, but he is not thought to have sustained anything serious.

Mason Mount in action for Chelsea on September 14, 2022 © Reuters

Rashford is one of three players to pull out having originally been called up to Gareth Southgate's squad, with Chelsea's Mason Mount also unable to represent his nation this month.

The 24-year-old has missed Chelsea's last four games in all tournaments with an injury to his pubic bone, but he was included in the Three Lions' contingent last week either way.

However, Blues boss Graham Potter expressed his surprise at Mount's call-up and immediately ruled out the prospect of the playmaker pulling on the England shirt during the international break.

"He's never been available as far as I am aware. He needed a bit of time for his injury to settle down, which has pretty much ruled him out of England," Potter told a press conference before the weekend's draw with Everton.

"Whether that meant they needed a bit of time to double-check that, I don't know. I don't think there is anything untoward at all. But from my selection perspective, he wasn't available for the weekend."

England's Nick Pope on September 26, 2022 © Reuters

Finally, Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope's withdrawal has now been confirmed by England, having reported an injury following Friday's 2-1 triumph over Nottingham Forest.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Fraser Forster has been added to the squad in Pope's place, as the 35-year-old earns his first England call-up in 12 months, having been an unused substitute in friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast.

With Hugo Lloris picking up a knee injury at the start of February, Forster has started each of Spurs' nine games in all tournaments, keeping clean sheets against Chelsea, AC Milan and West Ham United.

The former Southampton man only has six caps to his name for England, with his most recent senior international appearance coming in a 2-1 friendly win over Australia in May 2016.

Forster will compete with Aaron Ramsdale and Jordan Pickford for the gloves, but Southgate has not called up replacements for Rashford or Mount.

England begin their bid to qualify for Euro 2024 against Italy on Thursday before they welcome Ukraine to Wembley on Sunday for their second Group C match.