'An absolute joke' - reaction to Brighton pair's omission from England squad

Southgate named his 25-man squad for England’s two EURO 2021 qualifiers next week. The Three Lions travel to Naples to face Italy on Thursday (March 23) before welcoming Ukraine to Wembley on Sunday (March 26).

The England manager was criticised for sticking loyal to players he had used in the past, who were either out of form, or not playing for their club side.

Defender Harry Maguire made the squad, despite only starting eleven of Manchester United’s 45 games so far this season, while Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips was also included, having only playing 56 minutes of Premier League football since August 2022.

March and Dunk have been in fine form for Roberto De Zerbi's team, who are seventh in the Premier League and battling for European qualification.

De Zerbi tipped his key men for an England call this week but Gareth Southgate omitted them both from his group for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine this month.

When asked about the Brighton pair, Southgate said: "They [Dunk and March] are playing really well and their club are playing exceptionally well.

“I think the coach [De Zerbi] is doing an amazing job, I think he's got the team playing in an unique style in our league. They're having an outstanding season as a club.

"Solly we had with the under-21s with us so he's a player we know well. But at the moment I don't see him ahead of Rashford, [Jack] Grealish, [Phil] Foden, [Bukayo] Saka in those positions on the field so they're hard calls and we're always watching everybody, live or on our system during the week.

"There's not a game that we miss and we do know there are some players who are playing well for their clubs and regularly but as I said, I've got to pick the team and squad that I think gives us the best chance of winning in two really big matches coming up."

Former Tottenham and Portsmouth midfielder Jamie O’Hara criticised Southgate’s selection choices and called for Dunk and March’s inclusion in the squad.

O’Hara said on talkSPORT: “You might as well call it England F.C. I am sick and tired of seeing the same players picked for England who don’t even play for their clubs.

"What is the point in trying your best for your club, if you ain’t got no chance of getting in the England squad.”

A number of football fans took to social media to express similar opinions to O’Hara.

One fan said: “Joint 6th in the Premier League but not a single player deemed good enough for England. Southgate is an absolute joke”

Another agreed: “An absolute mystery to me how Guehi, Maguire and Dier get selected to play for England ahead of Lewis Dunk on current form. Colwill and even Webster are currently playing better than those three selected players. Pick the in form players, Maguire isn’t even starting for Man Utd.”

A third fan wrote: “No Lewis Dunk or Solly March, but let's include Maguire and Phillips because they play for man u and City. Lost a lot of respect for Southgate, "I pick on form", no you don't, clearly.”

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One fan took it further, asking for on-loan Chelsea defender Levi Colwill to be added, saying: “Lewis Dunk & Colwill should of got England call ups and Out Dier & Maguire.”

Another simply made the point: “If Lewis Dunk was 24 he would be in the England squad no questions asked.”

A sixth fan added: “Lewis Dunk on form should be in over Maguire. scarcely watch Prem now it’s just players who ain’t in form or even playing still getting in. Three Englishmen smashing it abroad - Balogun, Tomori, Edwards too. We’ll lose players again like Musiala & Musah if we ain’t careful.”