Marcus Rashford will use his Euro 2024 snub as “fuel” ahead of the FA Cup final, according to Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag.
Rashford was a surprise omission from England‘s 33-man provisional squad for the European Championship on Tuesday.
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Ten Hag said the forward will want to make a point to Gareth Southgate against Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday.
“He looks good,” Ten Hag said when asked about Rashford’s mood following his England disappointment.
“That is the career, ups and downs and a down can also be fuel. That is what I see in training. He will be highly motivated. He is highly talented.
“He has already a big career. I am sure he will get over this and get even more goals.”
Despite reaching a second successive FA Cup final, there are doubts about Ten Hag’s future following a poor Premier League season which saw United finish a club record-low eighth.
New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has given the Dutchman no public guarantee that he will stay at the club beyond the summer and a host of managers, including Thomas Tuchel, Kieran McKenna, Gareth Southgate, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino, have been linked with the job if it becomes available.
“I came here to win trophies,” Ten Hag said.
“Saturday is the next opportunity. We earned it as a team and now we have to go for it.
“Every season we review and we will see where we are in the project and what we have to change. There are very good things, players coming up and developing and at the same time we have on Saturday a big opportunity to win the next trophy.”
Ten Hag will be without Harry Maguire at Wembley but Mason Mount, Victor Lindelöf and Anthony Martial could all be available after injury layoffs.
“Harry Maguire is unavailable but the rest [Mount, Lindelof and Martial] are all available,” Ten Hag said.
“Tomorrow [Friday] we will make final decisions. It is all about trophies but we need the opportunity to win a trophy. In the last 10 years not so many trophies in the club so it is an opportunity to win two in two years.”