England boss Gareth Southgate admits the form of his Three Lions prospects played a huge role in who made the cut for the 2022 World Cup this winter. Newcastle United will have three representatives at the Qatar showpiece after Callum Wilson, Nick Pope and Kieran Trippier booked their place on the plane on Thursday.
Wilson hasn't featured for his country since 2019 but has been in fine goalscoring form in recent weeks as Newcastle climbed the Premier League table. The Magpies forward has scored four and assisted two in his last seven outings, including a brace against Aston Villa as Southgate watched on from the St James' Park stands.
Sections of the England fan base have criticised Southgate for not picking Roma striker Tammy Abraham for the 26-man squad. However, the boss admits the timing of the tournament means the form of his picks has been key.
