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Tottenham Hotspur legend praises Gareth Southgate after World Cup showing

Tottenham Hotspur favourite Ledley King has praised Gareth Southgate for the work he has done with the England national side. The Three Lions managed to exceed expectations as they reach the semi-final stage of the recent World Cup and there has since been plenty of praise for Southgate who has formed a strong bond with the national team players.

In a report covered by The Mail, King highlighted the same regarding Southgate and believes the former Middlesbrough defender is the right person to propel the Three Lions towards trophy success. He said: “You never know how someone is going to take to coaching. He’s an intelligent man and he’s worked with England players at the younger ages.
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Gary Neville: Harry Kane is England’s only truly world-class player

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has highlighted Harry Kane as the sole world-class player in the England squad and believes would get into any other team at the World Cup. The Tottenham Hotspur star has improved leaps and bounds over the past few seasons and he is presently leading the line for the Three Lions in Russia.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville was full of praise for Kane, who bagged a match-winning brace in the 2-1 triumph over Tunisia, he said: “World class for me is defined by the question: would he get into any other team in the tournament? And I think he would. Other teams would have to find a place for him, he’s that good. There will be those who say: ‘You’ve got to do more, how do you define world class?’ But his performances in the last two years in the Premier League and performances for England, his stature, and the fact if he was made available for sale, every club in Europe would want him.”
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Danny Murphy believes Phil Jones is fortunate to make World Cup squad

Former Liverpool and Fulham star Danny Murphy believes Phil Jones is lucky to have made the World Cup with England this summer. The centre-back has been error-prone on a multiple occasions this campaign and he was guilty of conceding a penalty against Chelsea on Saturday which cost Manchester United the FA Cup title.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Murphy was critical about the selection of both Jones and Danny Rose, though he believes that James Tarkowski has deserved his spot after impressing for Burnley in the top-flight, he said: “Overall I think Gareth has done the right thing, but Phil Jones is fortunate to get in. I like James Tarkowski, I think he’s had an unbelievable season and maybe he should have been in the squads earlier. “The other one I was a little bit surprised at was Danny Rose – he’s hardly played and when I’ve seen him play recently he hasn’t looked fit.”
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Gareth Southgate admits selection headache after Marcus Rashford’s showing

England manager Gareth Southgate has admitted that he has a selection headache on his hands following Marcus Rashford’s stunning goal against Costa Rica in a World Cup warm-up game. The 20-year-old did not have the best of seasons with Manchester United where he was restricted to limited gametime but he nevertheless put up a strong showing in the Three Lions shirt.

Following the game, Southgate said that Rashford’s goal was ‘world-class’ and he now has a selection headache ahead of the World Cup which begins on June 14. He said: “At the end of the season he cares so much he tries too hard. I said before the game I expect to see mistakes with attacking players in particular because if they are taking people on and trying to be creative, they are going to make errors. His goal was world class and he was teasing defenders on the touchline. His performance wasn’t perfect but he was enjoying his football and that was great to see. I’ve got 11 or 12 [players] that are going to be difficult to leave out.”
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Harry Kane Insists He Will Be Prepared For The World Cup

England international Harry Kane has insisted that he should be in a much better shape for the 2018 World Cup after having gained valuable experience ever since the disappointment at Euro 2016. The 24-year-old has been the standout performer for Tottenham Hotspur this campaign but they have been lingering doubts over his fitness after rushing his return from an ankle problem in April.

However, speaking to reporters, Kane has clarified that he has no issues with his fitness and he has plenty of time ahead of the World Cup to recover from any minor niggles, he said: “This summer I will be fresher. That was my first tournament so there were a lot of expectations. Having that experience will help and I definitely feel better.Obviously, I had a good rest last summer. This year has been tough with all the competitions we played in.But I’m feeling good. I’m feeling like anyone would at this stage of the season but there is plenty of time to recover and get ready for the World Cup.” Continue reading

Jesse Lingard Delighted With Maiden Goal For England

Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard is pleased to have bagged his maiden England goal during Friday’s 1-0 win over the Netherlands in an international friendly. The victory ended the Three Lions’ 22-year wait for a victory over the Dutch, and this came about from a man of the match performance from Lingard, who scored the winner in the 59th minute of the game.

Speaking about his match-winning effort, he said: “It’s up there with my best moment. It’s always an honour, to score as well is a massive bonus. I took a bit of time, tried to concentrate on it and I tried to give the keeper the eyes.Of course, I want to start (in Russia). When you work hard you get the rewards so from now I will carry on working hard and see where it gets me.”

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Shelvey for England?

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez believes that Jonjo Shelvey can be a useful player for England if he is selected. He said that the player will bring different options to the team and maybe a great asset to the England team.

Rafael Benitez said that Jonjo Shelvey has been an outstanding player this season for Newcastle United and that there is no doubt that he might be useful for the England team. Continue reading Shelvey for England?

Puel Sees Kane And Vardy Partnership

Leicester City manager Claude Puel sees a deadly partnership if Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur combine with Jamie Vardy. England manager Gareth Southgate prefers a lone wolf to lead the attack and Kane is the likely man for the job. However, Puel insists that Kane and Vardy can combine in attack at the forthcoming World Cup. Vardy has been on a decent goal streak this season even though Kane has been on a much more impressive one, currently leading the chart in the Premier League.

“They can play together for England, of course. He has other attributes to Harry Kane and sometimes they can play together because they can combine with different attributes. “It will be a good association. We have to respect the work of the manager because he has different options and qualities in the squad, but all this good play is exciting for the national team.”

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Sky Sports Pundit Surprised By Welbeck, Livermore’s Inclusions In England Squad

Sky Sport pundit Phil Thompson is surprised by Gareth Southgate’s decision to choose Danny Welbeck and Jack Livermore for the England’s upcoming international friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy. The pair have struggled to make any significant influence during the Premier League campaign with Livermore, in particular, having not featured in a victorious West Brom side since August.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Thompson said: “There’s a few surprises in there for me, none more so than Welbeck and Livermore.I think Danny can count himself very lucky to be in the squad as he hasn’t had enough game time and certainly hasn’t pulled up any trees up when he has had his chances, while the same can be said for Livermore.”

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Thierry Henry: Marcos Rashford may have to leave Manchester United

Arsenal favourite Thierry Henry believes Marcus Rashford should consider his long-term future with Manchester United after finding himself limited to a bench role in recent months. The England international started the campaign as the preferred attacker in the left-wing position, but this role has now been occupied by Alexis Sanchez with Anthony Martial rivalling him on the other flank.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, he said: “One of the most important things for me is that you have to play. You cannot be on the bench and missing games, missing learning about the game and stopping that momentum, and an example is Rashford.
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