Jesse Lingard looks set to start for England this summer as a shock inclusion ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s Dele Alli.
Just months ago, it seemed unthinkable that Dele Alli would not start for England at this summer’s World Cup in Russia.
Barring one game missed through suspension and another two due to injury, the Tottenham Hotspur man started every game for his country in 2017 and, to add to that, Gareth Southgate appears to prefer the system Alli uses at club level.
And yet, after this international break, the 21-year-old does not look at all assured of a place in the starting XI.
Jesse Lingard was preferred both in the Netherlands and against Italy, with Alli’s exclusion somewhat of a surprise even if he may have carried a slight knock.
That Lingard was preferred to the Spurs midfielder might have been enough to cause concern in itself, but the Manchester United attacker then performed brilliantly, scoring one and assisting the other of the two goals England scored during the week.
Between now and the end of the season, Alli may well have to make up ground on Lingard and so must rediscover his best form.
The FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Tottenham may have taken on extra meaning for these two players, with the opportunity to perform on a big stage surely enough to catch Southgate’s eye.
If Alli had performed as he has in previous seasons, it is unlikely Lingard would even have been considered. But he has not and the United man deserves his place.
It is all to play for in the final eight games of the season…
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