Manchester United legend Mikel Butt expressed his hope that Menu would not play in England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, as a lack of playing time could lead to a poor performance.
England will face defending champions Argentina in the early hours of Thursday Beijing time for a place in the World Cup final. The Three Lions narrowly defeated Norway in extra time to advance to their fourth World Cup semi-final; Argentina also defeated Switzerland in extra time.
Menu is one of the few players under Tuchel who has yet to make an appearance in this World Cup. The German coach prefers to pair Elliott Andersson and Rice in midfield. Rice's fitness issues may force Tuchel to adjust his plans for the match against Argentina, but Bate "hopes" Menu will remain benched.
The Manchester United legend greatly admires the Old Trafford starlet, but he said that given Menu's lack of playing time over the past month, bringing him on at this point would only have a negative effect.
Regarding Mayu's lack of playing time during England's World Cup campaign, Scholes said on the podcast: "At the moment, it seems Tuchel isn't considering Mayu. He's brought on Reece James, who hasn't played for three weeks with a hamstring injury. Only Tuchel knows why, and I don't think Mayu will be a problem in the team. But every manager has their favorite players, that's for sure."
Barthe added: "You know what? I actually hope Menu doesn't play. Because he's likely depressed, he hasn't played any games, and he hasn't touched the ball in any real match. Although he's been training, if you put him on now, he'll just mess it up. He's not in good enough shape to play in a high-level semi-final. I hope he doesn't play. Tuchel obviously won't use him. He won't be the first player to participate in a World Cup and not play a single minute; there have been cases like that before."
Menu's chances of playing had increased due to Henderson's injury – Henderson unexpectedly broke his arm after England's victory over Mexico. That injury should have ruled him out of the World Cup, but reports suggest he may still be included in England's matchday squad for the remainder of the season.
England midfielder Morgan Rodgers, speaking about Henderson's impact on the team, said: "This shows what he is as a person and as a teammate. Hopefully, he can continue to be with us for the rest of the season. He won't retire voluntarily, and neither will we. His belief in his body and ability, and what he represents as an individual, is very important to our team. He is the heart of the team. It was heartening to see him smiling this morning, so happy no matter what happened in the past 48 hours. Hopefully, he can get back on the pitch soon."
