Gareth Southgate omitting Tottenham Hotspur ace Eric Dier from the latest England squad for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire surprised Darren Bent, he told talkSPORT.
Dier has proven himself as a mainstay of the Spurs defence under Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte this season. The 28-year-old has started all 25 of his Premier League games so far this term, having missed three matches due to a thigh injury he sustained in January.
It was the third time this term the £4m centre-back had suffered with an issue in his thigh. But he returned to help Conte claim wins against Manchester City, Leeds United, Everton and Brighton. And they will target another three points at home to West Ham on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Maguire has been in and out of the Manchester United side of late under Ralf Rangnick. The interim Red Devils boss has struggled to rely on the captain at Old Trafford, and Maguire has faced a strong stream of criticism for his displays when he has featured.
Yet Southgate stuck with Maguire when naming the England squad for their friendlies with Switzerland and the Ivory Coast this month. Dier, on the other hand, is left to watch from home, while his wait for a 46th and first international cap since November 2020 continues.
Darren Bent stunned England omitted Tottenham’s Dier for Man Utd’s Harry Maguire
Dier was a regular of the England unit from 2015 under Roy Hodgson but fell out of favour under Southgate last year. Southgate gave Maguire his Three Lions debut in 2017 and has only omitted the 29-year-old from one of a now possible 21 squads outside of injury since.
So, Southgate sticking with Maguire over Dier for the latest England squad, despite his lack of form with Manchester United, stunned former Tottenham and Three Lions striker Bent.
“Do you know what? It is [a surprise],” Bent said. “His form has been a lot better than some of the people in this squad. Harry Maguire, how he’s in the squad, I don’t know.
“Gareth Southgate can’t keep picking players because they’ve never let him down. Harry Maguire has no form at the moment.”
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