Anton Ferdinand told talkSPORT that it’s ‘ridiculous’ that Everton defender Michael Keane hasn’t been picked for England yet Eric Dier has.
It came as a surprise to many when Dier, who has lost his place in the Tottenham starting XI, was selected ahead of Keane, Ben Godfrey, Lewis Dunk and Ezri Konsa.
All four have outperformed the versatile defender this season, who was also part of England’s most recent national squad, including producing a poor performance against Belgium.
Nonetheless, former Premier League centre-back, Ferdinand, claimed that Keane has been one of the best performing English defenders this season.
“If you want to go and win tournaments you need players that are in-form, not players that fit the mould,” said Ferdinand.
“Gareth Southgate said that. ‘I am not going to pick players on popularity. I am going to pick players on form’. And he has shown in this squad, for sure, that he hasn’t done that in certain positions.
“Like at right-back. He’s not taking Trent because he’s not been playing well. Okay, no problem.
“But when you look at centre-back and you have got Eric Dier going ahead of Michael Keane, it’s ridiculous, for me. If you are going to pick a player on form then tell me an English centre-back who has been more consistent over the season than Michael Keane?
“I don’t think there is one. Eric Dier hasn’t played in the Premier League for close to a month. Yet, he’s in the squad and Keane isn’t. It doesn’t make sense.”
It does come as a shock that not a single Everton defender was picked by Southgate given their performances this season.
Someone like Godfrey has been a revelation and the intelligence he has shown in playing various positions and looking unfazed should be applauded.
But clearly, Southgate will live and die by his decisions because if things go wrong then the critics will come at him.
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