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• Rashford did not deserve England spot for Euro 2024, says Ten Hag

  Marcus Rashford's poor form for Manchester United meant he could have no complaints about being left out of England's Euro 2024 squad, believes his club boss Erik ten Hag.

  Along with Manchester City's Jack Grealish, Rashford was a surprise omission from Gareth Southgate's party for the tournament in Germany.

  Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze and Jarrod Bowen were among the wide players preferred to Rashford, who had been a mainstay in the Three Lions' squad since making his first tournament appearance at Euro 2016.

  Rashford scored just seven goals in 33 Premier League appearances in 2023-24 as the Red Devils limped to an eighth-place finish – their lowest in the competition's history.

  Only in 2015-16, 2016-17 (both five) and 2021-22 (four) has Rashford scored fewer goals in a top-flight campaign. 

   

  Speaking in his role as a pundit for NOS on Sunday, Rashford's club manager said the forward had not done enough to be considered for his country.

  "Grealish and Rashford were both lacking this season. And when you are lacking, you risk not getting picked for your country," Ten Hag said.

  Ten Hag's job was thought to be under threat as United enter their first full season under the Jim Ratcliffe regime, but it was confirmed last week he will stay at the helm.

  He was asked on Sunday whether he had any desire to manage the Netherlands in the future, but he maintains he is content at Old Trafford.

  "I've never been chasing anything," Ten Hag said. "I'm very happy with where I am now. And I want to make the most of it."

• Kane's England contribution about more than goals, says Trippier

  Harry Kane offers more to England than simply goals, says Kieran Trippier, who is not concerned about the striker's lack of touches in Sunday's 1-0 win over Serbia.

  Jude Bellingham's goal was the difference as England recorded a hard-fought victory to open their Group C campaign, meaning they have started all four of their major tournaments under Gareth Southgate with a win. 

  However, their performance attracted criticism from some quarters as England managed just five shots to Serbia's six, accumulating a total of 0.52 expected goals (xG).

  Kane was a victim of the cagey nature of the contest, recording fewer touches (24) and successful passes (nine) than any other England starter. 

  Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at least doubled both of those tallies, having 48 touches and completing 25 passes.

  Kane did go close to giving England a two-goal cushion in the second half as he saw a header tipped onto the crossbar by Predrag Rajkovic, but Trippier says he should not be judged purely on goals.

  "Obviously it was difficult because they played five at the back, but what people don't realise is what Harry does off the ball," Trippier told reporters in the mixed zone.

  "Of course, he scores goals but what he did for the team today was incredible, holding the ball up and bringing other players into play. 

  "People just focus on goals with Harry but internally, as team-mates, we appreciate what he does off the ball."

  England have, however, kept five successive clean sheets in group-stage matches at the Euros, the longest such run in the competition's history.

   

  "I would say it's about managing the game," Trippier continued. "There will always be moments in games where the opposition will have a spell of 10 or 15 minutes of possession. 

  "It's about being nice and compact and not conceding. We have got experienced players in the group like [Kyle] Walker, Harry, myself, players that can help the younger players manage the games. I thought we did that tonight."

  Fans were hoping to see a free-flowing England display after watching Germany and Spain kick off with resounding wins, but their figure of 0.52 xG is the fourth-lowest of any team to have played at Euro 2024 thus far, after Scotland (0.02), Serbia (0.18) and Albania (0.51).

  However, Jarrod Bowen – who teed up Kane's big second-half chance – is not worried about the performances of other nations.

  "We are so focused on ourselves and what we can do, other teams are irrelevant. They are their countries and we are England," he said.

  "We focus on ourselves and our focus was to win the game not because other teams won, but because it was a statement for us to win the first game going into Thursday.

  "That was our mindset coming into this game and that will be it, full focus on us."

• Kostic feared to have suffered ligament damage in Serbia's defeat to England

  Serbia wing-back Filip Kostic is feared to have suffered ligament damage during his team's 1-0 defeat to England at Euro 2024, coach Dragan Stojkovic has revealed.

  England made a winning start to their Group C campaign on Sunday as Jude Bellingham's early header was enough to decide a cagey game in Gelsenkirchen.

  It was a challenge involving Bellingham that led to the end of Kostic's game, the Juventus man requiring treatment after falling awkwardly and being substituted after 43 minutes.

  Serbia now face Slovenia and Denmark in their remaining group-stage games, but Kostic is a major doubt to continue at the tournament and could be set for a long spell on the sidelines.

  "Kostic felt a strong pain in the outside part of his left knee and we fear that he could have ligament damage," Stojkovic said at his post-match press conference. "He will undergo medical tests on Monday, let's hope it's not as bad as it looks."

  Though England held Serbia to just six shots (one on target) amounting to 0.18 expected goals (xG), Stojkovic felt his team deserved to take something from the match.

  "We managed to corner the English team and I think we didn't deserve to lose," Stojkovic said. 

  "I told my players I was proud of their performance and about everything but the result. Now all we can do is to rest and get ready for what is probably the most important match of the group stage against Slovenia."