Alan Shearer snubs West Ham star Jesse Lingard for England squad
With the Premier League season coming to a close this month, some of the stars at West Ham United will have their eyes on international duty.
The European Championships finally get underway in June, giving some of the Premier League’s best only a matter of weeks to recover.
Gareth Southgate has a number of decisions to make, with the likes of Jesse Lingard giving him a real headache with his form.
Writing for the Athletic on Wednesday, Alan Shearer has selected his England squad, with some surprises that instantly spring to mind.
Declan Rice is obviously included by the all-time record goalscorer in the Premier League, but Lingard is missing out.
“I’d definitely start Henderson and Rice against Croatia,” he wrote.
“That leaves me with one wild card if you can call it that, and although Jesse Lingard has made a firm case for inclusion with a dazzling loan at West Ham United, I’m looking elsewhere.”
Bombshell.
This would be a big travesty.
Looking at the Premier League, no one has been as good as Lingard since he arrived at the London Stadium in January on loan from Manchester United.
Having not played for so long at Old Trafford, his form has been exemplary, and he simply has to be rewarded for that on the international stage.
The 28-year-old has scored nine goals in his 13 starts, the same number as Michail Antonio, who has played 579 minutes more.
Mason Greenwood has also been selected by Shearer, despite scoring two fewer goals in 16 more appearances, some off the bench.
Lingard is more deserving of that spot, and it would be no surprise to see Southgate favour him over his old Manchester United teammate.
In other West Ham United news, this reliable club source shares a major update on Hammers ace with a potential injury crisis in one area for the Irons