Gareth Southgate will be watching closely as Callum Wilson goes head-to-head against his England rival on Saturday. Former Newcastle United striker Ivan Toney earned his first Three Lions call-up for the recent double-header against Italy and Germany.
However, unlike Wilson - who received his first England cap under Southgate four years ago - the Brentford man watched from the sidelines and remains untested at international level. Similarly to Alexandar Mitrovic in the build-up last weekend, Toon supporters have long debated whether the right call was made to let Toney leave in 2018.
Rafa Benitez, governed by his remit to keep Newcastle in the Premier League, never gave the then youngster a chance before shipping him out to Peterborough United. Since then, only Harry Kane and Mo Salah have scored more goals in English football than the 26-year-old.
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Current United number nine Wilson has made no secret of his desire to make the World Cup squad. Injuries have blighted the 30-year-old’s two-year stay on Tyneside so far but, when fit, he remains one of England’s most prolific goalscorers.
The spot as Kane’s understudy in Qatar is up for grabs, with both strikers in contention to make the plane. But, stats-wise… which player comes out on top?
Using top-flight data only, ChronicleLive compared the two to help Southgate weigh up his options before next month’s finals.
At first glance, the pair are evenly matched in front of goal. Wilson has bagged 64 goals in 174 Premier League appearances - averaging 0.37 per game. However, his Newcastle figures alone are more impressive.
Since he arrived in 2020, the former Bournemouth striker has netted 23 in 48, a rate of 0.48 per game. For context, that is a fraction behind Alan Shearer’s Premier League return in Newcastle colours (0.49 per game).
By comparison, Toney has 17 goals in 47 appearances (0.36 per game). The 26-year-old’s stats are inflated, however, by his six penalties. Astonishingly, 35% of his strikes in the top flight have been from the spot. Wilson, on the other hand, has scored 11 penalties - 17% of his total.
Shooting accuracy is another area where Newcastle’s number sine comes out on top. Over half (51%) of his shots are fired on target while Toney (44%) lags slightly behind.
While Wilson may have the upper hand in the goalscoring charts, Southgate may prefer Toney’s all-round game. Data shows the latter averages 3.66 aerial duels won per game - dwarfing Wilson’s tally (1.25 per game) by some distance.
Toney also completes more passes per game (20.79) than the Newcastle striker (12.58), who rarely retreats deep to look for the ball. If you want a fox-in-the-box that can sniff out a discreet chance - Wilson is your man. But, the modern-day approach can force strikers to become all-encompassing… a trait better suited to the ex-Toon youngster.
Wilson vs Toney (Premier League)
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