Gareth Southgate has never been one for surprises, and his 26-man England squad for the World Cup is unlikely to buck the trend. Nevertheless, he does have a few selection dilemmas to ponder ahead of his squad announcement.
The goalkeeping spots look wrapped up, with Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope the men destined for Qatar. However, with 26 spots up for grabs, up from 23, there are a number of outfield players who could still force their way into the England reckoning.
Among them are Ben White, James Maddison and Callum Wilson who have found their Three Lions involvement limited in recent years and Jarrod Bowen and Tammy Abraham, whose stellar 2021-22 seasons are in danger of being forgotten. Here are five head-to-head battles which Southgate must decide on before the Three Lions jet off to Qatar...
