Rashford primed to make instant impact

ROY Hodgson knows "the whole of the English football world" will be watching Marcus Rashford's international debut with bated breath.

The England boss will hand the precocious striker his bow against Australia at the Stadium of Light tonight, at the tender age of 18 and just 92 days after he first appeared for Manchester United.

Daniel Sturridge's calf strain means Rashford is in line for a starting spot and although Hodgson did his best to downplay early hype around the teenager, he now accepts that the spotlight cannot be avoided.

BAGGAGE

He needs to see Rashford in action to decide whether he should make the final 23-man squad for Euro 2016 and accepts the baggage that comes with it.

"I worked hard in the beginning when, after one or two games, people were saying 'a new genius is born' and 'Hodgson must take him to France' to try and play down those expectations and demands," said Hodgson.

"(I wanted) at least to give him the time to keep it up over two or three months and that's what he's done.

"I think he's got very interesting qualities.

"Whether he can produce them at international level at such a young age we'll find out.

"It is a big game for him because I, my coaching staff, the rest of the players, he himself, the whole of the English football world will be looking to say 'we all think this lad's got something special.

"Can he show it to us once again?'.

"We'll be giving him every chance to do so and he'll get so much help, so much support and so much encouragement from the rest of the team."

That the Socceroos provide the opposition for Rashford's big audition is a rare coincidence.

They last played England in 2003, at Upton Park, where a 17-year-old striker by the name of Wayne Rooney wore the Three Lions shirt for the first time.