Liverpool will see at least a couple of their players make Gareth Southgate’s World Cup 2018 squad.
But what surprise picks might make the plane to Russia and how will Anfield’s chosen few help the national team towards possible World Cup glory?
From the Merseyside club, Jordan Henderson is odds-on favourite to line-up for England at the World Cup and it is likely he’ll be joined by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Both players possess international pedigree and bring very different qualities to the matchday team.
Henderson is known for his calm head and work rate. He could help protect a back four as a holding midfield player either alongside or instead of Eric Dier. He might even get the captain’s armband.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has pace and skill but his inconsistency has let him down at times. He’s an attacking option who can play on the wing or slot in midfield if Southgate throws caution to the wind.
Fans are obviously eager to see the “Ox” line-up for England’s first game as he’s odds-on to start England’s first game of the tournament after a recent run of good form. If he achieves the levels he’s turned in for Liverpool, England’s current 7/1 chance of reaching the final could be reduced.
But England’s recent form in international friendlies, including a 1-0 away win against Holland and an encouraging 1-1 draw with Italy at Wembley, shows Southgate is keen to put youth in the spotlight. While the national team are not favoured by pundits, the team’s success or failure could be decided by promoting young talent.
Two players at Liverpool who are beginning to make names for themselves are defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez. Both have impressed domestically with Gomez proving to be a favourite of Southgate’s.
He made his international debut as a substitute against Germany in a friendly in 2017 before receiving a man of the match award the following game against Brazil when he kept the world’s most expensive footballer Neymar in check. His preference for playing at centre-half gives the manager options because he can also play right-back where he has performed well for Liverpool.
When it comes to World Cup football betting, the names Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford might make you more inclined to predict England will progress from their group. In fact, at 16/1 alongside Thomas Muller, only Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi are preferred to Harry Kane in the tournament’s top goal scorer betting. William Hill’s special on England to win the World Cup with Kane scoring in the final is an attractive proposition.
But England will need to defend well and both Gomez and Alexander-Arnold have proven themselves on the biggest stage fully capable of nullifying the threat of the world’s best attackers. They might not be the box office names but could play a huge part in England’s success.
Elsewhere, Liverpool’s creative midfielder Adam Lallana could make a surprise return to the England fold. Blighted by injury, he’s endured another in-out season at Anfield but if he gets some games under his belt at the backend of the season, he’s definitely an option. If fit and in form, Southgate wouldn’t think twice about adding him to the squad.
Nathaniel Clyne is another Englishman at Liverpool who has suffered an injury-hit campaign. He has made a return recently and while it looks like he’s out of the national team’s plans, injuries to others may see him in Russia.
Liverpool’s season might be distinguished by the international flair of their attacking forward line but the engine room is distinctly English and the Merseyside club can boast it possesses some of the country’s best emerging talent. It’s likely Henderson and Oxlade-Chamberlain will make the head coach’s 23-man squad but there could be a few surprises in store, especially if Gareth Southgate decides to back youth.