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With the first international break of the season around the corner, Gareth Southgate's last England squad before the World Cup has raised plenty of eyebrows.
The Three Lions are currently on a four-match winless run, and recorded their biggest defeat on home soil since 1928 in an embarrassing 4-0 loss against Hungary last time out.
Bottom of their Nations League group, England play their final two matches against European Champions Italy at San Siro, before welcoming Germany to Wembley for the first time since England's 2-1 win in the second round of Euro 2020.
These will be the last two games Southgate has before deciding on his final 26-man squad for the Qatar World Cup by November 13.
Here Sportsmail takes a look at the top 40 players who will be vying for those final seats on the plane to Qatar ahead of their final round of fixtures.
Gareth Southgate announced his squad for the two Nations League fixtures on Thursday
Ivan Toney was called up to the Egnalnd squad for the first time and could win his first cap
England's best and most important player by a distance, Harry Kane is a certainty to lead the team in their bid for a second World Cup in November.
The Tottenham striker has started the season in fantastic form, with five goals so far from eight games in all competitions, and with 50 goals for his country, Kane could feasibly break Wayne Rooney's 53-goal record against Italy or Germany.
Harry Kane's place in the squad is unassailable and he will surely captain the side in Qatar
Rice’s energy and work rate in the middle of the park make him one of England’s most influential players, and has been an almost permanent fixture in the side since Euro 2020, where he played 539 minutes across seven games.
He missed England’s last outing – the 4-0 hammering by Hungary at Molineux – where his absence was sorely felt, and his club form has only improved as he has become the second name on Southgate’s teamsheet.
A future England captain, and already filling the void at the London Stadium left by Mark Noble, Rice has an experienced head on his shoulders despite being just 23-years-old
Declan Rice was one of England's most consistent performers at Euro 2022 with 539 minutes
Raheem Sterling moves up one place as England’s most reliable source of attacking threat behind Kane, and is one of Southgate's leaders in the squad with 77 England caps to his name already.
A move to Chelsea has not impeded the form he has shown at Manchester City in recent years, and with four goals and an assist in eight games at his new club, Sterling has a seat on the plane to Qatar with his name stitched on.
4. Phil Foden (up one)Sterling's former City team-mate Phil Foden follows him up the rungs, as he adds an established place in the England set up to the impressive achievement of carving out a starting role from amongst the litany of stars at his club.
Foden has seen his credit vastly increased with Southgate as a result of the creative inefficacies of many of his team-mates, and after Covid-19 ended his role in the last batch of Nations League games, he will be keen to show what he can do this month.
5. John Stones (up five)With a glittering array of talent at his disposal, defence is the one weak-point Southgate will face head-aches over, but the consistency of John Stones at the top level for City will surely do wonders to soothe those pains.
While other England defenders struggle for form, Stones continues to excel at the heart of one of the meanest defences in club football - as things stand there are no English defenders ahead of him in the pecking order.
John Stones scored a thunderous equaliser against Jude Bellingham's Dortmund in midweek
Kyle Walker is the third City player in a row and for good reason, having proven himself to be Southgate's most reliable right-back for what seems like aeons now.
The glut of talent on England's right flank is well-documented, and the fact that Walker consistently shrugs aside the challengers of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James and Kieran Trippier proves his important to the side.
He also played at right-centre back in England's 1-0 loss at Hungary - highlighting his versatility and importance to the Three Lions boss.
7. Jude Bellingham (up nine)One of two big movers up the rankings is Jude Bellingham, who has gone from strength to strength at Borussia Dortmund, quickly establishing himself as not just one of the leading young players, but one of the best midfielders in Europe.
Whilst he has not yet been handed a regular starting spot for the Three Lions, Bellingham is making it harder for Southgate to come up with reasons not to play him.
An injury to Jordan Henderson and a lack of game time for Kalvin Phillips gives the 18-year-old a perfect opportunity to stamp his authority on the No 8 role - though he is equally good as a No 4 or 10.
Bellingham's meteoric rise has seen him become one of England's most important midfielders
Through no fault of his own Jordan Pickford slips down to eighth on the ladder, and will miss the Nations League games through a thigh injury, which, according to reports, he has struggled with for some time.
The Everton stopper is England's No 1, and a stunning display against Liverpool earlier in September underlined his credentials, with eight saves to keep his side in contention.
He is prone to the odd individual error every now and again, but his penalty shoot-out heroics against Colombia in 2018 will live long in the memory.
Jordan Pickford's save broke England's penalty shoot-out curse against Colombia in 2018
The Chelsea playmaker retains his manager's confidence and his spot in the top 10, but falls a few places down the pecking order after an inauspicious start to the season.
No goals or assists in eight for an erratic Blues side bereft of form doesn't make for good reading, but Mount is still the Three Lions' premier attacking midfielder and is ruthless in dead ball situations.
10. Ben Chilwell (up six)The English left-back will have feared for his World Cup prospects after the summer arrival of Marc Cucurella at Chelsea, but is perhaps fortunate his competitors have also struggled.
A goal and two assists already this season, in just two starts, mark the left-back is his nation's top performer in that position - though his place in Qatar could be under threat if Luke Shaw can force himself back into the fold at Manchester United.
11. Harry Maguire (down two)The United captain has started three games this season, and lost all three of them but has proven time and time again that he is in Southgate's top two at centre-back.
His lack of pace is balanced by Stones - who in turn sees his less physical presence on the pitch covered by Maguire - and his ability to score from set pieces will prove invaluable.
He could struggle for fitness against both Italy and Germany, but he is sure to feature in some capacity.
Southgate continues to put his faith in Harry Maguire despite three losses from three starts
The Chelsea right-back will be cursing Walker's name. He was second favourite in the race to supplant the City defender to Trent Alexander-Arnold, but has developed brilliantly.
Like Walker, he is capable of playing as a right-sided centre-back in a back three, and is another player with a wand of a right foot from dead ball situations.
He won't start both games, but he will come off the bench to put ball after ball into the danger area.
13. Bukayo Saka (non-mover)Has always impressed in an England shirt, and showed maturity far beyond his years in stepping up to take that fateful penalty.
Arsenal's star player, and another capable of playing in a wide range of positions form left-back to right-wing, Bukayo Saka is kept out of the top 10 by the brilliance of Sterling and Foden.
The Three Lions boss has put his faith in the 21-year-old time and time again, and that will not change in the upcoming fixtures.
Bukayo Saka is in line to win his 19th cap for England with the versatile forward still just 21
Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale is most likely to deputise for the injured Pickford against Italy and Germany, and yet another impressive run of games for Arsenal has set him out as the one pushing the Everton goalkeeper hardest for his place.
Ramsdale struggled in his last appearance for the Three Lions, with a poor showing in the 4-0 loss to Hungary, but has proven himself capable of some truly fantastic saves. Comfortable with the ball at his feet, too.
15. Jack Grealish (down one)There is no denying Jack Grealish's star quality, but his form has been inconsistent in Pep Guardiola's rigid tiki-taka structure which can at times limit a maverick like Grealish's ability to run freely on the ball.
Devastating off the bench against Germany at Wembley two years ago, it looks like Grealish will likely play a similar role this time round, too.
16. Jordan Henderson (down nine)Jordan Henderson has been a fine servant for his country, but looks to be losing his place to those more junior to him of late, with Rice, Bellingham and at time Kalvin Phillips preferred.
However Southgate values his leadership and inexhaustible willingness to do the dirty work well.
An injury will keep him out of contention likely until the end of September, but he is definitely an important part of the Three Lions squad.
England will be without Jordan Henderson's experience against Italy and Germany after injury
There is probably not a player in the world that you could make a compelling case to start over Harry Kane, but Tammy Abraham has not let that stop him continue to improve his own game under Jose Mourinho.
But despite 29 goals in 60 for his club, Abraham has struggled to translate that into meaningful contributions for England when called upon, and his three goals have come against San Marino, Andorra and Montenegro.
Still England's best back-up option to the Spurs captain, but still needs to show that he can be a suitable deputy to Kane if crisis
