Gareth Southgate is ready to gamble on fitness issues rather than surprise call-ups for his World Cup squad.
Southgate regards Manchester City pair Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips as integral to his England set-up which is why he has been prepared to give them every chance of making it to Qatar. But Southgate is determined not to make the same mistakes as previous England managers who gambled on taking half fit players to tournaments which perhaps best explains the exclusion of Reece James.
You can only take a punt on so many players especially with James still likely to be three weeks’ away from being fit again after his knee injury. But Southgate is likely to name a squad very similar to his last for the Nations League, although Marcus Rashford looks set to return and his versatility could mean heartbreak for Ivan Toney and possibly Callum Wilson.
