sport news Gareth Southgate says he has NO DOUBTS about picking Marcus Rashford and Bukayo ... trends now
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Gareth Southgate says he has no doubts about picking Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka among his first five penalty-takers against Senegal if Sunday's match goes to shootout.
Saka and Rashford both missed against Italy in last summer’s Euro 2020 final and were subjected to racist abuse by some England fans, but they will be take a spot-kick again if they are on the pitch.
Asked whether he had any doubts about them stepping up, England boss Southgate said: ‘None at all. Marcus’s stats would be among the best in the world on penalty-taking. And Bukayo is taking them more regularly with his club. They’re both in a good space with that.’
Gareth Southgate says he has no doubts about picking Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka among his first five penalty-takers against Senegal if Sunday's match goes to a shootout
England were beaten on penalties in the Euro 2020 final against Italy last year at Wembley
Bukayo Saka was one of three England players to miss in the heartbreaking shootout defeat
England broke their penalty curse by beating Colombia 4-3 on penalties at this stage in 2018, then Switzerland in the 2019 Nations League third-place play-off.
And Southgate will again make late substitutions in extra time to get his best penalty takers on the pitch, even though he was criticised for doing so at the Euro 2020 final. On that occasion, he brought on Rashford and Jadon Sancho in the last minute of extra time, meaning they had to take a penalty having barely touched the ball. Both missed.
Southgate said: ‘In terms of the changes, Marcus came on as a sub in Moscow [against Colombia 2018] and took a penalty [and scored] four or five minutes
