England will be without Jordan Pickford through injury against Italy and Germany, so which goalkeepers may benefit from the Everton star’s absence – headlined by Aaron Ramsdale?
Gareth Southgate’s team will visit the San Siro to face the Azzurri on September 23, before hosting Die Mannschaft at Wembley three days later. The UEFA Nations League ties will be the Three Lions’ final warm-up matches before travelling to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup.
Harry Kane salvaged a point for England in Germany in June as the Tottenham Hotspur star scored an 88th-minute penalty to draw 1-1. But the Three Lions then could not find a goal at home to Italy, before losing 4-0 to Hungary at Molineux after a 1-0 defeat in Budapest.
Two draws from four games leaves England bottom in League A Group 3 behind Hungary, Germany and Italy. The results also leave Southgate with question marks over his options in goal, with Pickford facing Hungary and Germany and Ramsdale facing Italy and Hungary.
Southgate can now use September’s fixtures with Germany and Italy to establish his back-up shot-stopper for Qatar. Pickford is likely to be England’s No.1 at the World Cup, but the Everton star is sidelined until October due to a thigh injury he sustained against Liverpool.
So, with Pickford unavailable for the upcoming international break, HITC Sport have taken a look at which goalkeepers could now benefit from the 28-year-old’s injury for England…
Aaron Ramsdale: Pickford injury gives Arsenal star chance to stake England claim
Ramsdale is the natural goalkeeper who can benefit from Pickford’s injury, having started England’s last two fixtures. Southgate has sought to afford the 24-year-old chances to put his name ahead of the Everton stopper, but only sparingly since debuting last November.
The Arsenal star has been in and around Southgate’s plans since June 2021, having earned his first call-up ahead of Euro 2020. Ramsdale would then move to the Emirates Stadium in August 2021 from Sheffield United for £30m, where his initial form led to his England bow.
Now, Ramsdale has 16 clean sheets across 43 appearances with Arsenal in all competitions so far. But his difficult evening against Hungary saw the Chesterton-born stopper ship four goals, whilst his positioning came into question after failing to save two deniable attempts.
Dean Henderson: England void opens door for UEFA Nations League recall
Dean Henderson will hope that a void in the England goalkeeper department with Pickford injured leads to a recall. Southgate has not named the 25-year-old in any of his sides since the group stage of Euro 2020, whilst affording the goalie his only game in November 2020.
The Whitehaven native earned his international debut – and so far only appearance – as a half-time substitute during a friendly against the Republic of Ireland. But after making his case on loan at Sheffield United, sitting on the bench at Manchester United hurt his claim.
Now that Henderson is back earning minutes after joining Nottingham Forest on loan this summer, his case is growing stronger again. Already, the £100k-a-week ace has offered a string of vital and spectacular stops – despite only having one clean sheet from six games.
Nick Pope: Southgate will have taken note of goalkeeper’s superb Newcastle form
Newcastle United signed Nick Pope from Burnley for £12m in June, and he is already one of the bargains of the summer. Eddie Howe has reaped the rewards of raiding Turf Moor after the Clarets’ relegation, with the 30-year-old keeping three clean sheets over his six games.
Pope has stood strong to save almost everything that the Premier League has thrown at him since moving to St James’ Park. While his commanding presence in the box has taken the Magpies’ defensive structure to another level when he is not pulling off sensational saves.
Southgate will have taken note of what the goalkeeper has shown at Newcastle as he looks to replace Pickford in the England squad. Pope did not play a second during June’s fixtures, after getting his eighth-cap in March to end a year-long wait for his next Three Lions game.
Sam Johnstone: Crystal Palace struggles could cost three-cap shot-stopper
Sam Johnstone will have started the term longing for a chance to show Southgate why he merited an England recall. The three-cap shot-stopper has not made a Three Lions squad since November 2021 and has not featured internationally since October 2021 in Andorra.
But his decision to leave West Brom as a free agent and join Crystal Palace could now cost Johnstone his chance to fill Pickford’s void. Patrick Vieira has only afforded the 29-year-old one appearance in the Carabao Cup, whilst leaving him an unused substitute in the league.
Vicente Guaita has so far managed to keep Johnstone from stealing his spot between the sticks in south London. But Southgate knows what the Preston-born ‘keeper can produce, so Johnstone may still yet benefit from Pickford’s injury as England look to the World Cup.
Freddie Woodman: Pickford injury can give chance to show England potential
Pickford’s injury could give Freddie Woodman his chance to show Southgate his potential for England, as the Three Lions boss looks at who could creep into his World Cup plans. A permanent move from Newcastle to Preston has seen the 25-year-old flourish this season.
Woodman left St James’ for Deepdale in July and has started in all eight of the Lilywhites’ Championship fixtures so far. He has also taken seven clean sheets and conceded just one goal to date this season, to take an early, commanding lead in the Golden Glove rankings.
An England call-up for September’s UEFA Nations League matches with Italy and Germany would be a first for Woodman. He has never made a senior international squad, following a lengthy junior career with 56 caps across U16, U17, U18, U19, U20 and U21 age groups.
Joe Hart: England recall possible after reviving career with Celtic
Joe Hart may believe a recall to the England camp is possible after reviving his career with Celtic since leaving the Premier League. The Premiership giants paid Tottenham just £1m to sign the 75-cap shot-stopper in August 2021, having fallen from grace hugely in England.
The 35-year-old had not played a second in the top-flight since with Burnley on Boxing Day in 2018. Yet the two-time Premier League winner with Manchester City moved to Glasgow and has so far kept 31 clean sheets over 61 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops.
So far this term, Hart has five clean sheets from seven games – including shutting Rangers out to win the Old Firm derby 4-0. He also made a string of vital saves as the Bhoys hosted Real Madrid in the Champions League, and helped establish their play out from the back.
Fraser Forster: Southgate already recalled goalkeeper once earlier in 2022
Southgate has already recalled Fraser Forster to the England squad once this year, and he could consider the 34-year-old with Pickford injured. The six-cap goalie had not featured in any of the Three Lions’ squads since October 2017 before linking with the camp in March.
Forster did not feature against Switzerland or the Ivory Coast, but added experience to the group in line with his form at Southampton. Southgate gave the towering 6 ft 7 ‘keeper his place as Johnstone had been forced to pull out after being unable to train due to an injury.
Southgate acknowledged that Forster was performing for the Saints as they tried to move up the table. He only ended the Premier League season with three clean sheets during 19 outings, yet they proved enough to seal a switch to Tottenham to understudy Hugo Lloris.
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