Sven-Goran Eriksson urges Gareth Southgate to drop Manchester United duo Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw
Speaking in an interview with BoyleSports Football as quoted by Manchester Evening News, former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has urged Gareth Southgate not to pick Harry Maguire or Luke Shaw for the World Cup in Qatar.
Eriksson feels that the duo do not play enough at club level to warrant a place in the World cup squad. They might not be ready to play in the World Cup due to a lack of match sharpness and the former England manager has urged Southgate not to pick them.
Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are not having the best of times at Old Trafford. Whilst Shaw is having fitness issues, his form has been poor. He is not at the levels expected of a player who plays for the Red Devils.
Maguire on the other hand has been extremely poor for Man United. Erik ten Hag initially started off trusting his captain but he quickly replaced him with Raphael Varane after a couple of very poor performances.
Ever since then, Erik ten Hag has preferred to go with Tyrell Malacia at left-back and a centre-back partnership of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez and the decision seems to be working wonders for the Dutch tactician.
Speaking about the duo, Erikkson feels that Southgate would be better off travelling to Qatar without the duo.
“I think it’s difficult for Southgate to pick Maguire and Shaw because if they don’t play regularly, it’s very difficult to let them play in the national team because it’s one thing to train, but it’s another to have a regular routine of games. So that’s a difficult one.”
Eriksson’s comments seem to make practical sense but it feels extremely unlikely that Southgate picks his World Cup squad without Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw, if they are fit. It remains to be seen how this issue pans out.
If Southgate chooses to leave the duo out though, one thing is for sure. England are definitely not short of options. The Three Lions have a plethora of options who are ready to step in and someone like Fikoyo Tomorii along with John Stones seems to make more sense for England.
Even at left-back, Gareth Southgate has other options. Ben Chilwell is waiting in the wings ready to take over if Shaw is not available and even Kieren Trippier has been playing majorly at left-back for the national team.
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It remains to be seen if the duo manage to work their way back into the plans of Erik ten Hag but there is a chance that the duo’s prospects of being on the flight to Qatar is decreasing by the day.