Many English players have one last chance to book a place in the training squad for Euro 2024 as the Premier League draws to a close on Sunday.
Whether it’s Manchester City and Arsenal’s title deciders or games involving teams ‘on the beach‘, this weekend represents the final chance for many players to convince manager Gareth Southgate they should be on the plane to Germany.
Here, The Athletic’s Rob Tanner goes through the squad contenders who have it all to play for at home and abroad…
Strikers
Before the preliminary squad announcement on Tuesday, it is also one last weekend for Southgate to watch through his fingers and see if his injury issues will deepen. He already has a huge concern over captain Harry Kane — who will miss Bayern Munich’s final game of the season after leaving Germany to receive treatment for a back injury — with England’s opening game of the tournament against Serbia on June 16.
There is little detail on the severity of Kane’s problem but the move to increase the squad allocation to 26 means England can take more centre-forwards if required. After scoring 27 times for Aston Villa this season, Ollie Watkins is a near-certainty to go, but the third slot is open.
Ivan Toney has been in the frame but missed the first half of the season after a betting suspension and has only scored four goals since returning at the start of the year, with none in his past 11 club games. However, by scoring on his first international start against Belgium, the Brentford striker may have done enough to retain the faith of Southgate.
Southgate will be sweating on the fitness of Kane (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Callum Wilson has made nine appearances for England under Southgate but this season, he has missed 22 games through injury, including the last two with a hamstring strain. He has still scored 10 in 25 appearances for Newcastle United this term and head coach Eddie Howe said he will be fit for the season finale against Brentford — but can Southgate afford to risk Wilson if there are doubts over Kane?
Dominic Solanke has started all of Bournemouth’s Premier League games this season, scoring 19 goals, but his only senior cap for England came in 2017.
Midfield/wing
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has 10 senior caps but hasn’t been in the frame since 2018. He has been attracting attention for his displays for AC Milan, scoring 10 goals in 48 appearances across all competitions, but even if he continues to impress in his final two Serie A matches, it seems unlikely the 28-year-old will get a call.
James Maddison has seen his form dip since returning from injury in January. However, he has regained his starting place in the Tottenham side and a good performance against already-relegated Sheffield United on Sunday will do his confidence a world of good.
City’s Jack Grealish has endured an inconsistent season and has been left out of several squads by Pep Guardiola. He has made only 10 league starts and was an unused substitute in the 2-0 win over Tottenham on Tuesday night, but his place in the squad should be safe, despite Southgate’s vast array of attacking options.
Foden will go to the Euros after a stellar season (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Phil Foden, who is almost certain to feature in City’s FA Cup final against Manchester United on May 25, and Bukayo Saka, who gave Southgate an injury scare by limping out of the victory over United last Sunday, are expected to be the first picks to play in the wide positions. Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has been staking a claim with a superb season. Another top performance on the final day against Bournemouth will cement his place in the training squad and the final 26.
Marcus Rashford may have done enough to join him, even if his recent form will be another concern. He returned from injury against Newcastle on Wednesday night but has only scored eight times for Manchester United in 41 appearances across all competitions.
Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon has forced his way into the England reckoning but will be sweating over an ankle injury sustained against Manchester United in midweek, and is a doubt for Sunday’s game against Brentford. Raheem Sterling has fallen out of the picture completely since the 2022 World Cup and is no longer a regular starter at Chelsea, either.
Jarrod Bowen, meanwhile, has put together another successful season at West Ham United, scoring 20 goals and providing 10 assists in 44 appearances across all competitions — he will be in with a shout.
Breaking down Cole Palmer’s astonishing season at Chelsea
Defence
Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw have struggled with injury, the latter being sidelined for most of the season. Southgate is likely to be tempted to select both Manchester United defenders in the hope they can feature in the FA Cup final as, when fit, they regularly form the left side of his defence, with City duo John Stones and Kyle Walker completing the back four.
Shaw has only played 15 times for United this season and has been injured since February. Maguire is less of a risk as he has played significantly more and his injury at the end of April is only meant to rule him out for three weeks.
Luke Shaw (right) has been injured for large chunks of the season (Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
It’s been another injury-hit season for Ben Chilwell, but the left back returned to Chelsea’s bench against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday after a recent knee problem. There will be no such opportunity for right-back Reece James, though. He returned as a substitute against Brighton after five months out but was sent off and will miss the final game of the season, leaving his chances of a call-up hanging by a thread.
Goalkeepers
Jordan Pickford will be England’s No 1 and Aaron Ramsdale will be No 2, even though he has lost his place in the Arsenal starting line-up to David Raya. The identity of the third goalkeeper is still up for debate.
Sam Johnstone had a chance but is definitely out with an elbow injury. Burnley’s James Trafford is another option but he too has lost his place in Vincent Kompany’s side, replaced by Arijanet Muric after a run of poor form. Dean Henderson, however, is featuring regularly for Crystal Palace, and is another option.
Then there is Newcastle’s Nick Pope. He has just returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a shoulder problem and is yet to feature, but could face Brentford on Sunday. With 10 England caps, his experience could get him the nod if he proves his fitness.
Outside bets
With all the uncertainty and injuries, Rico Lewis, Harvey Elliott, Levi Colwill, Ezri Konsa, Eberechi Eze, Jarrad Branthwaite or Joe Gomez could yet stage a late charge. Milan’s Fikayo Tomoroi has been receiving plaudits and Jadon Sancho has resurrected his career back at Borussia Dortmund while on loan from United, reaching the Champions League final.
Sancho has been in form (Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Southgate will certainly have them on his radar on Sunday, but as well as watching the action, he will be waiting patiently on fitness news, most notably on Kane.
Probables
Goalkeepers: Pickford, Ramsdale
Defenders: Walker, Trippier, Maguire, Stones, Guehi
Midfield: Bellingham, Rice, Henderson, Alexander-Arnold
Attackers: Kane, Foden, Saka, Watkins
Possibles
Goalkeepers: Trafford, Pope.
Defenders: Shaw, James, Branthwaite, Dunk, Chilwell, Gomez, Konsa, Lewis, Tomori, Colwill, Dier.
Midfielders: Gallagher, Mainoo, Maddison, Eze, Loftus-Cheek.
Forwards: Grealish, Rashford, Bowen, Gordon, Palmer, Toney, Solanke, Wilson, Sancho.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
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