England had their most commanding win under Thomas Tuchel as they beat Serbia 5-0 away from home, with the manager affirming Marcus Rashford’s bounce-back display after the game.
Thomas Tuchel created some headlines after the previous win against Andorra, where Marcus Rashford struggled to make a mark.
Tuchel’s verdict on Rashford after that game was bad news for Man Utd and Barcelona, and a response was needed from everyone involved.
Serbia were a much tougher fixture, but England blew them away in a brilliant performance, with Rashford bagging a goal as well.
Marcus Rashford of England scores his team's fifth goal from the penalty-spot during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Serbia and England at Rajko Mitic Stadium on September 9, 2025
Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images
Thomas Tuchel on Marcus Rashford
After starting the game against Andorra and staying ineffectual, Tuchel opted for Anthony Gordon on the left, with Marcus Rashford coming off the bench.
He came on in the 68th minute and looked like a player determined to have a bounce-back performance because he was lively from the get-go.
He created two chances, had eight touches in the opposition box, and tucked away a penalty near full-time with confidence to cement a good cameo.
Tuchel was asked about Rashford’s performance after the game, and he praised the ‘excellent’ display, saying it’s ‘exactly what we need’.
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Tuchel said: “The players made a huge impact from the bench. This is what I felt from this group. Marcus was excellent and hungry to be involved in goals, and this is exactly what we need.”
Rashford needs a world-class season
It was heartening to see Rashford bounce back with a great performance because he is at a point where he needs a world-class season.
His loan at Barcelona started well, but has gone off the boil in recent games, leading to speculation about whether they will make it permanent.
Barcelona hold a buy option which they can easily refuse to take next season, causing Rashford to end up in an awkward scenario again.
His United contract runs till 2028, so he needs to become undeniable at Barcelona to convince them to make his move permanent.
Taking some confidence from a good performance in an England shirt will hopefully allow him to go back to Barcelona in form and ready to make an impact.