All eyes will be on England's starting XI when the Three Lions face Germany in their UEFA Nations League clash on Monday, even as fans continue to demand the removal of Gareth Southgate as the team's manager ahead of Qatar World Cup 2022.
England coach Gareth Southgate has come under fire again, this time ahead of the Three Lions' UEFA Nations League clash against Germany on Monday night. Five key players have been left out of tonight's match, but prolific striker Ivan Toney has been added to the squad and could make his national debut at the iconic Wembley Stadium.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is not included in England's matchday squad while striker Ivan Toney is included as Gareth Southgate's side prepare to face Germany at Wembley tonight 🏟️ pic.twitter.com/dBlZALbnjc
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews)Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold has been left out of England's squad after being unused as a substitute in the team's 1-0 loss against Italy. According to The Athletic, the right-back is fit to play the game and has taken part in all training sessions.
The 23-year-old's inclusion in the England team for the November trip to Qatar is now seriously in doubt, as his performance for the Three Lions under Southgate has been severely hampered by injury setbacks and poor form.
Fikayo Tomori will also miss Monday's clash against England, leaving fans miffed as to why Southgate kept the AC Milan centre-back out of such a crucial game. "Tomori NEEDS to start. This decision is baffling," noted one fan on Twitter.
"Maguire over Tomori this Southgate guy ain't serious," added another England fan.
A third stated, "Do not understand how Tomori doesn't start ahead of Maguire…can he represent another country cause he should just switch."
Tomori NEEDS to start. This decision is baffling https://t.co/1SR8LeL2y3
— sam_c345 (@C345Sam)Maguire over Tomori this Southgate guy ain’t serious 😭 https://t.co/baEdMRIv8u
— stephen #glazersout 🔰 (@StephenMUFC29)Do not understand how Tomori doesn’t start ahead of Maguire…can he represent another country cause he should just switch https://t.co/tnyMvIv29V
— Bav12 (@Bav125)Such weird treatment of Tomori from Southgate https://t.co/EkgrMaIj80
— Thomas Stirk (@TomStirk1992)Time is ticking for Southgate…. Hope this helps https://t.co/4PcnX4G2Mj pic.twitter.com/2uWjwe5pIU
— J.D. (@jdyer202)Another 90 of Maguire https://t.co/LC7i3dNFPJ pic.twitter.com/VjyRAGuuLS
— Ben 🏴🇦🇺 (@AxelTuanzbeast)Apart from Alexander-Arnold and Tomori, Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse too will miss out on the clash against Germany. Jack Grealish will not be involved too as he serves a suspension after picking up a yellow card during the defeat in Milan.
However, all eyes will be on Ivan Toney, whose name has been included in the squad. The Brentford striker would hope to impress Southgate enough to secure a seat on the plane for Qatar World Cup 2022 if he features at Wembley. The 26-year-old received his first England call-up after a stellar start to the Premier League season. But he was then left out of the matchday squad to face Italy.
🗣️ “I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get half an hour or so.”
Danny Mills says he doesn’t expect Ivan Toney to start against Germany this evening for England but believes he will get some minutes on the pitch. pic.twitter.com/y9Q01sD7tY
"I understand the push as it is so close to the World Cup, but there is life for Ivan Toney beyond the World Cup as well. He is very much in the frame and what he does with his club between now and then is also really important. First and foremost, it has been great for Ivan to be with us and see how we work. Everybody wants to get into the team and on to the pitch. But you have a better chance of doing that if you have been in the group longer and are used to how we play and feel more comfortable with the players," said Southgate over the weekend, casting doubts over Toney's involvement in today's game.
However, Toney could make his debut for the Three Lions after being selected for this evening's Nations League match against Germany.
🐝 Might Ivan Toney make his England debut tonight? pic.twitter.com/3FOGDzEzeG
— OddAlerts.com (@OddAlerts)It's their final opportunity to shine in an England jersey before the World Cup 2022. The Three Lions face Iran on November 21 in Qatar to open their campaign. They will play against the USA four days before playing Wales on November 29 in their last Group B match.
Southgate has admitted he could be shown the door if his side flop at the tournament. "Ultimately, I will be judged on what happens at the World Cup. Contracts are irrelevant as managers can have three, four or five-year deals but you accept that if results are not good enough, it is time to go your separate ways. Why would I be any different? I am not arrogant enough to think my contract is going to protect me in any way," the England coach said.