Thomas Tuchel has handed Marcus Rashford a shock recall in his first England squad, which also includes call-ups for Myles Lewis-Skelly, Dominic Solanke and Dan Burn.
Rashford, 27, has not played for England since March 2024 and fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim at Manchester United before joining Aston Villa on loan in January, where he has registered three assists to date.
Speaking to the Football Association’s website, Tuchel said: “He’s had a huge impact lately in the matches at Aston Villa.
“I was delighted to see his effort on the ball and his effort to be the best teammate possible and his consistent energy.
“There is no doubt about his talent and about his quality, but to see him so decisive and so physically involved gave me the impression that it is the right moment to call him up and give him the extra push that he stays on that level.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold was not selected — although the Liverpool defender is currently suffering with an ankle problem which rules him out of Sunday’s Carabao Cup Final against Newcastle.
In his place, Reece James is included despite making just 13 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions due to persistent fitness problems.
“Reece works very hard to be in shape,” said Tuchel. “He is fully available. There is no doubt about Reece’s quality and capability and what he can bring to us but we want to be flexible and have a bit of a wider range and that’s why it was a pleasure to bring Reece back in.”
