Bukayo Saka handed Euro 2024 boost as Jarrod Bowen shines and Phil Foden disappoints
The last international break before this summer's Euros is over and Gareth Southgate's takeaways from it will be slightly limited. The England manager says he's never seen an injury crisis like the one he's had across friendlies with Brazil and Belgium.
Key players like Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Luke Shaw, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier and Jack Grealish were all absent for both games entirely. Kyle Walker, Sam Johnstone and Harry Maguire meanwhile pulled out midway through.
Still though, as one door closes another one opens for other players. There are areas of the squad which are more or less nailed on. For example, if Jordan Pickford is fit, Aaron Ramsdale has no chance of starting, although it would have been nice to see the Arsenal man given some game time given his lack of minutes at club level.
In other areas, it's not so certain though. There probably is not a spot in the squad where this is more true than the forward positions. Southgate has an embarrassment of riches up top in the current generation. In fact he has so many good players at his disposal that he's struggling to fit them all in.
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When the England squad is fully fit, Phil Foden has generally been the man to miss out. Bukayo Saka is a nailed on starter at right wing, while Jude Bellingham plays the advanced midfield role, with Southgate preferring a more defensive-minded presence alongside Declan Rice in the deeper role.
With Saka out though, Foden had the chance to stake his claim for a starting spot this summer. The 23-year-old has been arguably the player of the season in the
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