sport news Sportsmail experts discuss the key decisions facing Gareth Southgate ahead of ... trends now
England's final game before the World Cup against Germany on Monday night burst into life in the second half and threw up a number of intriguing talking points.
Germany went two goals in front after a couple of Harry Maguire errors, but England came roaring back thanks to the hugely impressive Jude Bellingham and substitutes Mason Mount and Bukayo Saka.
The Three Lions scored three quick-fire goals to turn the game around but Gareth Southgate's men were unable to hold out, as Nick Pope's error allowed Kai Havertz to rescue a 3-3 draw for the visitors at Wembley.
Sportsmail columnist Chris Sutton is joined by experts Ian Ladyman, Sami Mokbel and Dominic King to discuss the key decisions facing Southgate ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.
Gareth Southgate has a number of big decisions to make ahead of the World Cup in Qatar
Surely that’s it for Maguire?
CHRIS SUTTON: It’s not. But Gareth Southgate cannot start Harry Maguire if he isn’t starting for Manchester United. If he only comes on as an 89th-minute substitute against Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League, how on earth can he be expected to start for England in a World Cup with what’s at stake? How’s he going to get back to form if he isn’t playing games? It’s a huge gamble that I don’t think we can take.
Southgate can’t get away from the fact that Maguire has been out of form for a long time now — he backed him after the Germany match and I do think some of the criticism of Maguire is way over the top, but it was a pretty catastrophic error for the first goal.
IAN LADYMAN: I agree that it should be hard to see Maguire playing against Iran. But I actually think he will. Southgate is convinced that he is his best central defender. Certainly if he plays four at the back — rather than five — in the opening game, Southgate will want his central pair to be Maguire and John Stones simply because he firmly believes that they are his best duo.
Southgate is not stupid and is aware that another two months of inactivity for Maguire at club level will have a huge impact on his match fitness and mental sharpness. Frankly, the best thing that could happen for Southgate is United suffering a defensive injury and Maguire stepping back in and finding his form. This is a situation that is not ideal, for sure.
After another disappointing display, Harry Maguire's starting place looks increasingly insecure
SAMI MOKBEL: It’s not ideal but events of the last few days tell us that it is far from over for Maguire. Southgate backed him last Thursday, indicating he will start at the World Cup. The England manager then started him in both Nations League matches. Southgate clearly believes he needs Maguire if England are to win their first senior men’s trophy since 1966.
So regardless of what you think about it, you’d better get used to Maguire being selected — though Southgate did give himself some wriggle room on Monday, saying: ‘In these moments we’ve got to back our best and most experienced players, unless we’re in a situation where it’s almost untenable and impossible to pick them.’
DOMINIC KING: So much can happen before mid-November, so it would be stupid to say definitively now that Maguire won’t face Iran. I’d say the odds are against him but he was England’s best defender in the last two tournaments, a point not lost on Southgate.
As the others say, the England boss thinks the world of Maguire and it was significant to hear the way he spoke about him on Monday night. Yes, he had made mistakes but no good will come from metaphorically putting him in the stocks. People around him need to rebuild his confidence. If he doesn’t play, Conor Coady must.
Everton's Conor Coady would be one of the candidates to step up if Maguire is not selected
Should Bellingham start even if Phillips is fit?
SM: Nailed on. And he should be for at least the next decade. What a player. He has everything in his locker to become not just one of the best, but the best England central midfielder in history.
Passing, discipline, power, bravery, composure and pace — the kid has it all. The biggest fear is, if Kalvin Phillips recovers in time for the World Cup, that Southgate reverts to type.
But that would be a travesty. Let this boy play. Build the team around his outstanding talent. Unleash him on the biggest stage of all and he won’t let the country down.
IL: I agree, Sami. Of all the players who have been on parade over the last two games, Jude Bellingham has shone. He does not seem to have been affected by the crisis of confidence that has struck so many of his older and more experienced England team-mates.
Bellingham, only 19, has been brave enough against Italy and Germany to seek the ball and use it well. It is said that the young don’t know what fear is and this seems to apply to the midfielder. Barring injuries or another unexpected turn of events, it is hard to see anybody but Bellingham standing next to Declan Rice when England’s World Cup campaign gets under way.
Jude Bellingham was impressive against both Italy and Germany during this month's fixtures
CS: Hard to see? It’s not even a debate! 100 per cent he plays. He’s brave, he takes the ball and where many players hide, he doesn’t.
For the first goal against Germany, he could have taken the easy option of going sideways or backward but he drove through the middle of the pitch with three German players around him before spinning the ball out to Reece James, who combined with Bukayo Saka to set up Luke Shaw. If Bellingham doesn’t show that bravery on the ball, England don’t get back in the game. He is ahead of anyone else in the middle of the park.
DK: Bellingham has been building towards this moment since he wore the No 8 shirt in a friendly against Romania in June last year. It’s implausible to see how someone who is flourishing in the Champions League won’t be given this platform.
What intrigues is the idea that Phillips is still somehow a certain starter. In all honesty, he might be fortunate to even get on the flight to Doha. He’s played 14 minutes for Manchester City so far and has injury concerns. Can Southgate afford to take such a gamble? The answer to that is ‘no’. It will be Bellingham and Rice, with Jordan Henderson waiting to step in.
Who to pick as the wing-backs?
DK: Shaw is as close to a certainty to start as can be. He hasn’t always been comfortable in the international set-up but, since Euro 2020, he has found his feet and, once again, he did very well against Germany. He scored one and Raheem Sterling should have given him an assist. Trent Alexander-Arnold should be on the right, but at this stage I’m not even sure he will be on the plane.
In that respect, I would go with Kieran Trippier, whom Southgate correctly says is in
