Gareth Southgate has plenty of thinking to do ahead of naming his 23-man England squad for the 2024 UEFA European Championship.
Something of which the Three Lions boss shouldn’t need to ponder over too long is why Jarrod Bowen is more deserving of a spot than Marcus Rashford.
The duo have had polar opposite seasons in the Premier League in 2023/24. Bowen has been scoring goals for fun and his overall performances have been exquisite.
Rashford has endured a largely torrid campaign. Goals have been very hard to come by and his lethargic displays are a huge cause for concern.
The Manchester United man has been a shadow of his former self. His poor performances certainly haven’t gone unnoticed this season.
On the other hand, Bowen’s determined and dynamic showings have brought about praise from fans, pundits and West Ham United boss David Moyes.
Let’s take a closer look at why Bowen should be included in England’s Euro 2024 squad ahead of Rashford.
Jarrod Bowen West Ham Stats
Since Joining in 2020, Jarrod Bowen‘s West Ham stats have quickly installed himself as a fans favourite. To date, Bowen has scored 57 goals and provided 36 assists in 190 appearances across all competitions.
Costing just £22m from EFL Championship side Hull City, Bowen has proven to be one of the best value for money signings in recent years. A genuine bargain in fact.
It’s not just guaranteed goals and assists that Bowen offers to the Hammers. He brings about a raw desire and determination that will prove invaluable for England at the European Championship.
Granted, Bowen might not be a natural starter for the Three Lions with the likes of Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka ahead of him in the pecking order on the wings.
A first career hat-trick for Jarrod Bowen 👏 pic.twitter.com/KSC3C030u6
— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 27, 2024
If either Foden or Saka were to miss the tournament via injury though, there really is nobody better on current form than Bowen to fill the void.
Also, the West Ham star is more than capable of playing as an understudy to captain and striker Harry Kane. 13 of Bowen’s last 15 appearances he has played as a centre-forward.
Across those games, the 27-year-old has scored eight times and provided one assist. He recently netted his first senior career hat-trick in the Hammers 4-2 win against Brentford.
Gareth Southgate – like football fans across the land – will have been hugely impressed with Bowen this season. His goals, assists, determination, work rate and desire to succeed are hard to ignore.
Marcus Rashford Goals
This season, Marcus Rashford has been in the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons. On the pitch, the Manchester United star has struggled with all areas of his game.
Marcus Rashford’s goals have been arguably the biggest worry. At the time of writing, he has scored just five times in 31 appearances in all competitions.
Compared to the 2022/23 campaign, Rashford recorded his highest career goal-tally with 30 strikes. 17 of those came in the Premier League alone.
With that in mind, his fall from grace has been a real eye-opener. Has Rashford lost confidence? Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson firmly believes so. Graeme Souness even claimed he’s not a top player.
❌ 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗺𝗲: “He’s not a top player!”
🔥 𝗝𝗶𝗺: “He’s a top name in English football..”
😅 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗺𝗲: “Noooooo!”
Jim White & Graeme Souness clash over just how good #MUFC’s Marcus Rashford is. 👀 pic.twitter.com/G5c52p1lNl
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) February 19, 2024
Off the pitch this year, Rashford felt the wrath of club boss Erik ten Hag for missing training in the lead up to the Red Devils FA Cup clash with Newport County. Reports suggest the pair have hardly spoken since.
The 26-year-old had a well-documented night out in Belfast just three days before the game against the EFL League Two side. Unsurprisingly, Rashford reported ill for training the night after his boozy antics.
England boss Gareth Southgate will be questioning why Rashford has proven to be so problematic on and off the pitch. Even when he is on it, Rashford looks lethargic and disinterested.
With time running out ahead of the 2024 UEFA European Championship, Rashford really needs to pull his socks up and show everybody – including Southgate – just what he is really about.
Bowen Over Rashford For Euro 2024
Jarrod Bowen deserves a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad over Marcus Rashford for a number of reasons. It’s not just the West Ham star’s goal involvements that is the main justifiable cause.
His overall level of professionalism, maturity, fitness levels, work rate and his defensive attributes are all miles ahead of what Rashford can currently offer or boast.
Granted, Rashford has much more experience in international football. Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate must look beyond that with Germany on the horizon.
In March, there are two glamour friendlies coming up against Belgium and Brazil at Wembley. Not only should Bowen be in the squad, he should be allowed to demonstrate what he is all about.
Jarod Bowen>>>>>>Rashford pic.twitter.com/gk32rkCj8u
— Prince of the East 🇺🇬 (@joel_cana) February 27, 2024
It’s almost a guarantee that the likes of Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden have their seats confirmed on the plane ahead of the summer extravaganza.
Give them a rest, let Bowen showcase what he can offer instead. He has five caps to his name already but it is vital Southgate give him the platform to impress further.
Whether Rashford should feature in the two games in question remains in doubt. Does he deserve the chance? What will he offer if so? On current form, it would be naive to expect too much.
It really should be a no brainer from Southgate’s point of view. Bowen is miles ahead of Rashford in every aspect of the game. He must be part of England’s Euro 2024 squad this summer.
READ MORE: Euro 2024: Five Surprise Inclusions Gareth Southgate Could Name In His England Squad
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