Troy Deeney says Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon is falling into a 'Rashford trap' and we couldn't agree more
Since Marcus Rashford left the Premier League to join Barcelona on loan, the England star has got his career back on track and has given Thomas Tuchel plenty to think about ahead of the World Cup.
Rashford's form dropped off a cliff at Manchester United and an indifferent loan spell at Aston Villa wasn't enough to right the ship, but a loan to Barcelona this season, which saw Rashford hit a brace against Newcastle United in the opening Champions League game week, has transformed the winger's fortunes.
Anthony Gordon scored for Newcastle in that game, and he is who Marcus Rashford needs to displace in Thomas Tuchel's England side for the World Cup.
However, Troy Deeney believes it's Rashford who should get the nod if the teams are picked right now, and when you read what he's had to say, you'll probably agree.
Troy Deeney would pick Marcus Rashford ahead of Anthony Gordon for England right now
Deeney has been a harsh critic of Rashford's in the past, but the ex-Watford star wrote an encouraging piece about him in The Sun recently, in which he noted that Anthony Gordon is going down a similar path at Newcastle.
"It looks like it is between him and Anthony Gordon for that spot at the moment — and I am starting to worry that the Newcastle winger is falling into the Rashford trap.
"Gordon looks like he’s starting to believe his own hype, believe that he can be bigger than Newcastle and deserves a move to somewhere like Arsenal or Liverpool. Someone should intervene."
We're not sure if it's a conscious decision by Anthony Gordon or not, but there's a definite pattern in his game this season
It's not often we put a great deal of stock in what Troy Deeney has to say, but we can't argue with his assessment of Gordon here.
We've had doubts about his attitude all season, as it has felt like he's only motivated to play his best on the biggest stage, as has been evidenced by the contrast in form between the Champions League and domestic competition. It's as if he's putting on a show when he knows he's got eyes on him, and doesn't give a rat's arse otherwise.
Whether that's actually the case or not, only Gordon himself knows the truth, but it's how he's come across all season, and fans have noticed, and it's something he needs to be mindful of and fix it, if it's a genuine coincidence that his best games have come on the biggest stage.
The sooner Anthony Gordon remembers that football is a team game, the better.
