Southgate calls three more kids up for Brazil
ANGUS Gunn, Lewis Cook and Dominic Solanke are in line for a full England call-up today with Phil Jones withdrawing from the squad. All three are being promoted from the Under 21 squad which beat Ukraine 2-0 on Friday night.
Goalkeeper Gunn replaces Jack Butland, who has returned to Stoke with a broken finger while Jones is back at his club after coming off on Friday. Cook comes into boost midfield options.
Southgate (above) said: ‘It would be a good experience for a couple of the Under 21s to have a few days with the seniors and to be involved against Brazil would be a brilliant experience.’
The trio join fellow Under 21 graduates Tammy Abraham,
Ruben Loftus Cheek, Jordan Pickford and Joe Gomez who all made their senior debuts in Friday’s encouraging 0-0 draw against Germany, with Gomez coming on as a substitute for Jones.
Southgate said: ‘The likes of Ruben, and Gomez when he came on, and Jordan have shown some really good qualities. Harry Winks is the same.
‘We had to get the balance through the qualification. We had to qualify and then we can start to look at some of these guys and see what is possible. I enjoyed watching us play against Germany. I haven’t enjoyed watching us play in all our games but away in Germany, against Spain and Germany at home I’ve enjoyed the performance.’ Liverpool striker Solanke was informed after the Under 21s returned home from Kiev yesterday afternoon that he and Bournemouth midfielder Cook would be joining Gunn in the squad to face Brazil on Tuesday.
Gunn was told on Friday night that he would be replacing the injured Butland and was understood to be over the moon when receiving the news. Southgate had considered elevating Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Leicester winger Demarai Gray for the showpiece fixture at Wembley but, after discussions with Aidy Boothroyd, he chose Solanke and Cook.
Cook, who captained the Under 21s after Gomez was promoted to the senior ranks, was excellent in Kiev, while Solanke scored the opening goal and helped create the second before he was replaced late on. It has been a whirlwind few months for the 20-year-old, who won the Golden Ball when England’s Under 20s became world champions in South Korea in June and then secured a dream move to Liverpool.
Solanke said: ‘I was just focusing on the game in Kiev beforehand and if it happens, it happens. I’m sure it’ll be a great experience. Everyone knows what a big thing it was for us to win the World Cup; it wasn’t just big for us, it was big for the country, too. Of course I got the Golden Ball and that was a great achievement. It is at home, with my family. They came up to Liverpool with me. It is a great club to have joined and I feel that I have settled in quickly.
‘I have got off to a good start and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.’
Southgate has already cherry-picked Boothroyd’s squad to take Liverpool defender Gomez, Swansea striker Abraham and Crystal Palace’s LoftusCheek and the Under 21 head coach believes it has sent a message.
Boothroyd said: ‘When the boss says “I’ll take him, him and him” it gives everybody else in the squad hope.’