Forwards in the squad: Bellingham, Bowen, Eze, Foden, Grealish, Gordon, Kane, Maddison, Palmer, Saka, Toney, Watkins.
A strong group of forwards selected by Southgate, but one that will have to be cut significantly between now and June 7. Kane, Bellingham, Foden and Saka are going nowhere, leaving an almighty battle between the other eight players.
It is likely to be a straight shoot-out between Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins for the back-up striker role and, despite his superiority in the Premier League, Watkins was overshadowed during March’s international break by Toney.
Jack Grealish and James Maddison will both have to work hard to be included as both of their performances have not been up to their usual lofty standards in recent weeks and they don’t necessarily offer anything that the other players in this selection provide.
Eberechi Eze and Anthony Gordon have the benefit of excellent form over those two players, and could pip them to the final squad. Jarrod Bowen, meanwhile, was superb against Brazil and Belgium in March and his domestic forms speaks for itself — he is one of the players that could be cut but has done more than enough to justify a place.
That leaves just Cole Palmer, the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season, who made his senior England back in November. His phenomenal debut season for Chelsea has provided Southgate with ample proof that he should go to Germany.
