sport news Gareth Southgate's 23-man England squad going for Nations League glory

Club football may be over for the season but Gareth Southgate's England squad have two more games to play in the UEFA Nations League.

They meet Holland on Thursday and will play either Portugal or Switzerland in the final or third place play-off.

Below is a profile of the England squad ahead of the upcoming matches in Portugal.  

Gareth Southgate has named a 23-man squad for England's Nations League finals matches

Gareth Southgate has named a 23-man squad for England's Nations League finals matches

GOALKEEPERS

JACK BUTLAND (Club: Stoke, Age: 26, Caps: 9, Goals: 0)

Largely a mainstay of the squad despite now plying his trade in the Sky Bet Championship, provides good-quality cover to Pickford and has been around enough England camps to know the score.

Key stat: Started all-but one of Stoke's Championship games last season, conceding 51 goals in 45 games.

TOM HEATON (Burnley: 33, 3, 0)

His return from injury and recall into the Burnley side helped the Clarets steer clear of relegation and he was soon rewarded with a return to the international scene.

Key stat: Burnley took 28 points from the 19 games Heaton started in the 2018/19 Premier League season and just 12 from the 19 games in which he did not feature.

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has started in England's last 13 competitive matches

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has started in England's last 13 competitive matches 

JORDAN PICKFORD (Everton, 25, 17, 0)

A couple of dodgy games during the Premier League season but remains first-choice and will be hoping for a similarly successful summer between the sticks as he enjoyed at the World Cup last year.

Key stat: Has started the last 13 competitive England matches - a run stretching back to October 2017.

DEFENDERS

TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD (Liverpool, 20, 5, 1)

Such an exciting part of Jurgen Klopp's team at Anfield and has shown a similar level in flashes when selected for England. Plenty of competition to nail down the right-back slot in Gareth Southgate's side.

Key stat: Only Eden Hazard and Ryan Fraser provided more Premier League assists last season than the 12 laid on by Alexander-Arnold.

Trent Alexander-Arnold arrives in the England squad having just won the Champions League

Trent Alexander-Arnold arrives in the England squad having just won the Champions League

BEN CHILWELL (Leicester, 22, 6, 0)

One of the players to emerge after the run to the World Cup semi-finals last year but is now arguably first-choice at left-back after putting in consistently good performances for both Leicester and England.

Key stat: The 5-1 Euro 2020 win in Montenegro is the only England game since the World Cup in which Chilwell has not played a part.

JOE GOMEZ (Liverpool 21, 6, 0)

Injuries have prevented the highly-rated defender from playing more for club and country but he is thought of highly by Southgate and has been another to impress in his limited time in an England shirt.

Key stat: Limited to just six Liverpool appearances in 2019 due to injury - but featured in both legs of the Champions League semi-final win over Barcelona.

MICHAEL KEANE (Everton, 26, 7, 1)

Earned his way back into the reckoning having been cast aside as the Toffees struggled for form. Could yet establish himself as a regular.

Key stat: Made four appearances for the Republic of Ireland at Under-17 and Under-19 level before switching allegiances to England.

Harry Maguire has formed a pivotal part of the England setup under Southgate's guidance

Harry Maguire has formed a pivotal part of the England setup under Southgate's guidance 

HARRY MAGUIRE (Leicester, 26, 18, 1)

While he carries the frame of a tough-tackling, burly centre-back the Foxes defender is adept on the ball and can be trusted to play out from the back with ease.

Key stat: Made a joint-Premier League high of two last-man tackles during last season.

DANNY ROSE (Tottenham, 28, 26, 0)

One of the elder statesmen of the current England set-up despite being two years away from his 30th birthday - Rose will contest the left-back spot with Chilwell knowing Luke Shaw is also breathing down their necks.

Key stat: Made 36 appearances across all competitions for Tottenham last season - the most he has achieved in one campaign since making his debut in 2009/10.

Danny Rose has competition to make the left-back berth his own in the England squad

Danny Rose has competition to make the left-back berth his own in the England squad 

JOHN STONES (Manchester City, 24, 37, 2)

A back-to-back title winner, although not a regular at the Etihad Stadium he has played 40 Premier League games over the course of the last two seasons and is another who is comfortable in possession of the ball.

Key stat: Top-scoring England defender in the current squad, both his international goals came in the 6-1 win over Panama during the group stage of the 2018 World Cup. 

KYLE

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