England head to the World Cup in Qatar in a strong position to go deep into the competition, with a host of world class players ready to drive the Three Lions forwards.
However, the presence of such a wealth of talent does pose some difficult questions for Gareth Southgate as he hopes to narrow down his options for Qatar. The team will be led as ever by Harry Kane, with the England captain having become the first name on the team sheet following his Golden Boot win at the 2018 tournament in Russia.
Due to the fact that Southgate would be unable to call up a replacement were the Spurs man to become injured, there is the need to call upon an able deputy to take his role in the side should he be sidelined. The options to fill this deputy role are plentiful, with Callum Wilson, Tammy Abraham, Ivan Toney and Dominic Calvert-Lewin all in the discussion having recently been called up to the squad.
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Were the tournament to have been held in summer, then the option to take Roma striker Abraham would have been clear following his starring role for the side in Serie A last season. However, this season has seen a resurgence in form from both Wilson and Toney which puts them firmly in the discussion.
Brentford striker Toney has the least amount of international pedigree, but has been in brilliant form since he began in the Premier League with Brentford last season. He has scored a highly commendable 20 goals in 46 appearances in the Premier League for a team which has largely been lower mid-table.
Southgate could alternatively choose to take Wilson following six goals in his first ten games in the Premier League this season. He is the more experienced bet, but with his injury proneness, there could be the inclination for Southgate to opt for the more reliable Toney, who has played 18 more Premier League matches since the beginning of the 2021/22 season.
Besides Abraham, who has more international experience and has won major European silverware in the past six months, these would be the most likely two to challenge Kane. Should we look at stats alone, Toney would lead the conversation and his inclusion would be a fantastic story given the fact he was playing in League One with the likes of Peterborough and Scunthorpe when the last World Cup was played in 2018.
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