Mason Mount drop worries as Ben Chilwell snub sends World Cup alarm
Gareth Southgate has some tough decisions to make as he narrows down his England squad ahead of the World Cup, with Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount key questions in need of answers. 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.
Both Chilwell and Mount received call-ups for England’s Nations League double-header against Italy and Germany, but the Chelsea left-back was one of five players dropped from the squad vs Italy on Friday. While Southgate may be experimenting, it does not bode well for Chilwell with the pecking order at full-back already crowded.
Mount’s attempt to amend his stuttering start to the season might need an extra dash of urgency before November. The attacking midfielder has supplied just one assist in eight games for Chelsea. Mount’s ability to transform games is well documented, but a lack of definitive minutes doing so could prove crucial. Meanwhile, Reece James looks a shoo-in for a squad role, but a lot can change in a few short weeks...
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