Gareth Southgate will name his final England squad for the Euros on Friday.
Only 26 of the current 33 will be allowed to travel to Germany, meaning the England boss must select seven players to leave the squad ahead of the tournament.
Here are the big decisions Southgate faces…
Back-up central defenders
The trusted partnership of John Stones and Harry Maguire will no doubt be Southgate’s first choice pairing but fitness concerns for Maguire and a lack of game time for Stones of late means selecting the back-up central defenders has more importance than in previous tournaments.
Maguire will still be expected to be named in the final squad despite his recent injury, so Southgate will need at least two other central defenders in his final squad. Marc Guehi is likely to be one of those, so the choice of one or more of Jarrad Branthwaite, Lewis Dunk, Ezri Konsa and Jarell Quansah remains. Joe Gomez is also in the current squad and can play in central defence but will likely go as a left-back option given England’s shortage in that area.
Dunk started in the win over Bosnia, perhaps offering an indication that he is a preferred back-up option, and Konsa also has the versatility to play as a full-back.
Take Luke Shaw?
Luke Shaw has been a vital player for Southgate’s England but injury problems mean he is a serious doubt for the tournament. The defender is not expected to play in his country’s final warm-up game against Iceland on Friday and has been absent since February for Manchester United. Southgate said he was a long shot to make the tournament when first announcing his training camp squad and it would be a risk using a squad space on a player who would need to work up his fitness during an intense tournament.
Central midfield
Adam Wharton’s impressive cameo off the bench against Bosnia and Herzegovina has increased the clamour for him to be on the plane to Germany but he faces stiff competition in that central area.
Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham are certainties to go and it would be a big surprise not to see Trent Alexander-Arnold also make the squad given his quality, but Wharton faces competition from Conor Gallagher, Kobbie Mainoo and Curtis Jones. Liverpool youngster Jones is perhaps the most likely to miss out.
Plethora of attacking midfielders and wingers
While lacking in defence, England are blessed with so much attacking talent going into the tournament, but that also creates a big headache for Southgate. The Three Lions have so many number 10s and wide attackers and this is the area where Southgate will perhaps have to be at his most brutal.
Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka will very likely start for England leaving Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, Jack Grealish, James Maddison and Cole Palmer to fight for the remaining spots.
Palmer’s outstanding season for Chelsea means he should be included in the final squad, and Bowen has impressed for England when given the chance and is also coming off the back of a great season for West Ham. But this area of the pitch is stacked with talent and whoever misses out will feel hard done by.
Good luck, Gareth.
Toney or Watkins?
Given how much attacking talent England have behind the main striker, taking two number nines to back up one position does not make a great deal of sense, especially as many other players could play there if a crisis happened.
Harry Kane obviously starts and Ollie Watkins has been Southgate’s preferred back-up option for England so far but has not always looked convincing. Toney might not have had his best season after returning from a long suspension for Brentford but perhaps his quality from the penalty spot and strengths as a target man give him an edge over Watkins? Though it would be very harsh not to take Watkins given the season he has had for Aston Villa.
One goalkeeper has got to go
Southgate named four goalkeepers in his training camp squad, which is one too many for the final squad. Jordan Pickford is the number one which leaves the England manager a choice of two of Aaron Ramsdale, Dean Henderson and James Trafford, with the latter likely most at risk of losing his place.
Final squad prediction
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale, Dean Henderson
Defenders: Kyle Walker, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Marc Guehi, Lewis Dunk, Kieran Trippier, Joe Gomez
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Kobbie Mainoo, Adam Wharton
Forwards: Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Jarrod Bowen, Jack Grealish, Cole Palmer, Ollie Watkins, Anthony Gordon, James Maddison
Out of the squad: James Trafford, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jarell Quansah, Luke Shaw, Curtis Jones, Eberechi Eze, Ivan Toney
FEATURED IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES VIA ONE FOOTBALL
