Mainoo and Jones could challenge Gareth Southgate’s natural pragmatism | OneFootball

Gareth Southgate names his England squad for Euro 2024 in less than four months. Could a currently uncapped player or two yet force their way into his plans?

When putting together a rough draft of what an England squad could look like (the last England ladder is here), there are probably 13 players who are absolute certain to be there, which leaves 10 open spots and competition is as fierce as it’s ever been, such is the depth of talent at Southgate’s disposal.

Ivan Toney’s credentials have been discussed before, and he has returned to the game with relative ease, but Dominic Solanke (13) and Ollie Watkins (11) are two of the top scorers in the Premier League. At least one, and likely two, will miss out next summer in the battle to be Harry Kane’s understudy.

As could Jarrod Bowen, who has also scored 11 times in the league this season – three of the top six scorers are English – given the Three Lions are incredibly well stocked in wide positions.

Of the 13 certs to be in Germany next summer, three are wide players: Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Bukayo Saka. Marcus Rashford will also probably make it if he continues his recent upturn in goalscoring, if not overall form.

Talent on the flanks means Anthony Gordon, uncapped at senior level but a star in the Under 21s Euros success last summer and in brilliant form for Newcastle all season, will also need to arrange alternative plans for June.

As will Raheem Sterling, who seems to be the exception to the rule when it comes to Southgate’s unwavering loyalty.

Harry Maguire has been a beneficiary of that and is now even more guaranteed of his spot next summer due to increased gametime for Manchester United. Lisandro Martinez’s knee injury should ensure plenty more minutes over the coming months too.

John Stones is certain to partner Maguire once again at the back if he’s fit, while Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Luke Shaw also have little to worry about regarding selection.

Presuming Marc Guehi retains his position as third-choice centre-back, that probably leaves one open spot at the heart of defence, assuming Trippier is covering left-back.

It appears to be a battle between Fikayo Tomori, whose on-off England career has earned him just five caps, Ezri Konsa, who was selected in November but remains uncapped, and Brighton’s reliable Lewis Dunk.

Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite is an outsider worth keeping an eye on, but a post-Euros debut seems a safer bet.

That leaves midfield as the primary area of contention, and it’s a position where there are two uncapped players making serious cases for inclusion: Curtis Jones and Kobbie Mainoo.

Jones has been on the scene far longer, having made his Liverpool debut in 2019, but it is only this season that he has truly become an integral part of Jurgen Klopp’s side and squad.

He can play across midfield, more than capable of sitting deep or surging from box to box, with an eye for a goal.

On the other hand, Mainoo is the new kid on the block, barely 10 games into his senior career. But he has not just come into the Manchester United first team and belonged; he has arguably been their best player in the last two-and-a-half months.

It might sound slightly hyperbolic, but it isn’t a surprise to anyone at Old Trafford. This was entirely predicted. His ceiling is not visible from the ground.

The 18-year-old would have been in United’s team long before late November but for a serious ankle injury suffered in pre-season, but he is more than making up for lost time now.

Standing in Mainoo and Jones’ way are two of the most-maligned English players and the easiest sticks to use on Southgate: Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips.

The loyalty shown to both is admirable if not entirely bizarre, given the former’s disgraceful Saudi sojourn and the latter’s 18-month semi-retirement at Manchester City.

Both made transfers last month – Henderson moving to Ajax to solve the ills of Amsterdam society, and Phillips to West Ham, where he has made a less-than-impressive start, which must be in part due to rustiness.

His 89 minutes for the Irons in his two games to date are two more than he managed for City across the first half of the season. He isn’t even certain to start for David Moyes’s side, with Edson Alvarez first choice in his preferred position.

Much to the apathy of Rio Ferdinand and others, Southgate went to the Dutch capital to watch Henderson make his debut for his new club instead of having a further look at Mainoo, Jones or the countless other England hopefuls in Premier League action last weekend.

What was he hoping to see? Henderson is pushing 34 and has been part of the England squad since Southgate took over, and long before. He is what he is, if not progressively getting worse. Was it worth an in-person watching brief?

It does tell you where the England manager’s current thoughts are in truth, and there is some basis to those thoughts even if it could and should be debunked.

This is likely Southgate’s last tournament and last chance at winning a trophy with England. He is unlikely to be thinking of either post-tournament or his successor when picking a squad.

Experience is valuable, and Henderson and Phillips have that in spades, while both have played in defensive midfield roles – where there is a lack of natural cover for Declan Rice – for England before.

All valid points but all that can be countered.

Come on Gareth, it’s your last tournament and last chance at winning a trophy. Pick your best players. Jones is at Liverpool ahead of Henderson in a sense, while nobody sane could currently debate Phillips over Mainoo.

You need experience? England could not have more. Champions League winners, Premier League winners, Euro 2020 finalists, World Cup veterans. You name it, they have it.

Mainoo and Jones are playing for the two biggest and most followed clubs in the country, where the pressure could not be currently greater due to constant crises and a multi-pronged title charge in Jurgen Klopp’s last season. England duty is unlikely to faze either.

Henderson is considered an important leader, but his stock has immeasurably fallen of late (albeit other players likely do not care) and he has been surpassed by Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham both in midfield and in the captaincy ranks.

As for specialist defensive midfield back-ups, would any England fan feel more secure with Henderson and Phillips sitting at the base of a midfield? Maybe three years ago but not now.

Pragmatism has worked for Southgate before, and does in general in international football, but it has also cost him, notably in that Euros final.

With squads being reduced back to 23 from 26, there is less room for experimentation, but England have nothing to fear, and Southgate should be bold this summer, and give both a chance in next month’s friendlies with Brazil and Belgium in place of two has-beens.