Play Barkley

Paul Scholes reckons England manager Roy Hodgson should put his faith in Ross Barkley at the World Cup and believes he can have a similar impact to Wayne Rooney’s memorable Euro 2004 campaign.

Speaking to Paddy Power, Scholes said: “I was watching the England vs Ecuador friendly in an airport lounge, a bit back from the screen,”

“In the first-half Ross went on a run and I thought, ‘Bloody hell, is that Rooney?’ Barkley made me think of Wayne at Euro 2004. I had to take a second look because I thought it was Wayne.”

“Now is a great chance for Roy Hodgson to give English football the identity we’ve lacked,”

“Tell the world: this is how we play, attack! There is no point taking people like Raheem Sterling or Ross Barkley to Brazil ‘for the experience’. Play them.

“Some people might say it’s risky. But these players have the fitness and ability to get the ball back if they lose it (hopefully not in dangerous positions). You want them to attack and give the opposition problems.

“Roy Hodgson has little to lose by going for the jugular. Will we be satisfied if England scrape through to the quarter finals playing negative football?

“Let’s not do that and take responsibility for what happens if we go for it. Let these England players off the leash.”