Gabby Agbonlahor believes Joe Gomez should be brought into the England team as one defender has struggled recently.
England are preparing to kick off their European Championship campaign with a match against a defensively solid Serbia in Germany.
Gareth Southgate has rung the changes this tournament with several players who usually make his final squad left out. Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford are two of the most high profile names to miss out on a spot in Southgate’s side.
Harry Maguire has also missed out but that is down to a calf injury that the Manchester United defender had carried into the final part of the season.
Agbonlahor makes surprise change
The defence for the Three Lions looks to be the most hotly contested part of the team with the quality in midfield and attack making these decisions easy for Southgate.
However, the defence is more of a head scratcher. Luke Shaw and John Stones, two players who have become the fulcrum of the national side under Southgate, only returned to England training this week.
Agbonlahor, writing on the talkSPORT’s predicition article, believes Joe Gomez should start over Newcastle United’s Kieran Trippier.
Explaining his selection, he said: “If Shaw’s injured, I look at Trippier’s performances recently for Newcastle, I look at his performance against Iceland… they were getting in so easily.
“Our front six is so good, we need someone at the back who can play. Gomez has more aggression and pace than Trippier.
“Yes, Trippier is great at set-pieces, but we’ve got Trent [Alexander-Arnold]. So you don’t need Trippier’s set-pieces.
“Gomez would offer more pace and more aggression to that defence, especially with the inexperience of Guehi and Lewis Dunk.”
Trippier’s role
Perhaps for the first time in a long time, Trippier’s place in the England team has been called into question ahead of the summer tournament.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has performed well for the Reds this season and should be in with a shout of starting at right-back.
With England surely set to stick to a back four, it is a risk to play Alexander-Arnold, who is much better going forward, in that role.
Southgate will have a few selection headaches ahead of the opening game against Serbia.
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