Gareth Southgate has some tough decisions to make as he narrows down his England squad ahead of the World Cup, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Eric Dier one of the players who could retake his claim.
Southgate is set to name his provisional squad for the tournament on Wednesday 19th October, which is 33 days before kick-off in Qatar. With the final 26-man squad needing to be submitted to FIFA by Sunday 13th November, there is still time to earn - and lose - those seats on the plane, with some huge talking points across the board during the international break.
Dier had become a figure of ridicule for some after a near two-year hiatus from the international scene, but his recall for the Nations League fixtures against Germany and Italy represents a sharp change in the narrative. Southgate’s defence is a crowded affair, but for those who took note of Dier's imperious performances under Antonio Conte in the middle of Spurs’ back three, the latest call-up is more than deserved.
