England squad announcement: The big ins and outs of Southgate's selection
Gareth Southgate has announced his squad for the forthcoming UEFA Nations League matches - who are the biggest surprises?
Gareth Southgate has announce his England squad for the forthcoming UEFA Nations League tests against Italy and Germany and, with limited time left to tinker ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, it could be a huge indication of his plans this winter.
So, who are the biggest ins and outs of the latest selection? You can see the full England squad list here.
Who are the surprise inclusions?
Goalkeepers:
With Jordan Pickford forced to miss out through injury, a chance has been handed to Dean Henderson to impress. The on-loan Nottingham Forest stopper appears too have been rewarded for his decision to ditch Manchester United in search of first team football ahead of the World Cup. He'll be keen to add to his solitary cap in the coming weeks.
Defenders:
Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi's solid form at the start of the campaign has seen him given another chance to impress. Eric Dier, whose poor form in the lead up to Euro 2020 saw him culled before the tournament, is back in the fold after a good start to the campaign with Spurs. Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire are also included, despite both being benched at Manchester United by new manager Erik ten Hag. Fikayo Tomori is also called up after AC Milan's title-winning campaign last term. Meanwhile, Reece James is back in the fold after a lengthy injury lay-off.
Midfielders:
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James Ward-Prowse came agonisingly close to making Southgate's Euro 2020 squad, only to miss out at the last minute. He is back in for this one and looks set for another nervy autumn of hoping to make the plane to Qatar. His performances against Italy and Germany could be crucial.
Forwards:
The biggest surprise of the entire squad selection is the inclusion of Ivan Toney, whose wonderful performances for Brentford at the start of the new season fully have deserved reward. The striker has five goals and two assists in six appearances so far and Premier League fans will be eager to see him in action for the Three Lions.
Who are the big omissions?
Goalkeepers:
Jordan Pickford misses out through injury, though he is expected to return in time for the World Cup.
Defenders:
Joe Gomez is among those overlooked despite having made five Premier League appearances for Liverpool already this season. The Reds' poor start to the campaign may have been a factor in his omission. Kyle Walker-Peters, James Justin and Ben White had all played for England this year but have been left out.
Midfielders:
Jordan Henderson is another player who misses out through injury. He is expected to return to action with Liverpool on September 25. Leicester City's James Maddison, who has been in decent form this term, is not injured, however. It is highly unlikely he will be included in the squad which travels to Qatar in November.
Ed is a staff writer at FourFourTwo, working across the magazine and website. A German speaker, he’s been working as a football reporter in Berlin since 2015, predominantly covering the Bundesliga and Germany's national team. Favourite FFT features include an exclusive interview with Jude Bellingham following the youngster’s move to Borussia Dortmund in 2020, a history of the Berlin Derby since the fall of the Wall and a celebration of Kevin Keegan’s playing career.