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Pundits clash after Man Utd man told he got England penalty style all wrong

Frank Lampard claimed that Marcus Rashford should have opted for a simpler penalty style, after missing in the Euro 2020 final.

Manchester United forward Rashford and new team-mate Jadon Sancho both failed to score as Italy won Sunday’s shoot-out 3-2 at Wembley. Bukayo Saka had the chance to keep the Three Lions in the contest, but he too missed. As such, the Azzurri claimed a first European Championships title since 1968.

The wait for England’s triumph in a major tournament goes on, but it is a case of what could have been.

Roy Keane led the inquest by questioning why Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling did not take penalties. Manager Gareth Southgate, though, insisted that he picked his takers in training.

Rashford featured in that order, but he hit the post to start England’s costly sequence of three misses. Speaking to BBC Sport, former Chelsea midfielder Lampard questioned the striker’s slow, stuttering run-up.

“I’ve never taken a penalty with that style. I always consider there’s a penalty [style] for me and many takers take them very well,” the 43-year-old.

“But on the training ground behind closed doors, that shuffle and wait is much easier.

“With the pressure of what this game brings, it’s harder.”

However, Rio Ferdinand hit back, claiming, “You can miss in any style”.

Lampard then defended Sterling for not taking a penalty. He said: “I’m not sure Raheem is absolutely a penalty taker at heart and I think you have to give credit as much to say, ‘I’m not feeling it’, for whatever reason.

“You can’t over-analyse this now, it’s a horrible moment.”

Lineker has England advice

Taking to Twitter, Gary Lineker insisted that England should have been braver in trying to win in normal time.

“I think going forward England have to find a way of being more attack minded,” he wrote.

“Braver in possession and throwing more people forward.

“We have the forward talent to scare teams, at present we seem scared ourselves to release that talent.”

READ MORE: Mourinho names Shaw when questioning key decision that cost England dear

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