Dunk named in England squad for November Internationals

Lewis Dunk could make his England debut this November after he was retained in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for upcoming matches with the United States and Croatia.

The Three Lions will take on the USA in a friendly on Thursday 15th November, which will be followed three days later by their final UEFA Nations League group game against their World Cup semi final conquerors. Both games take place at Wembley.

Dunk was called into Southgate’s squad for the October matches with Croatia and Spain after an injury to Burnley defender James Tarkowski, although the competitive nature of the Nations League coupled with the fact that only three substitutes are allowed in the competition meant that he was never likely to play.

He’ll stand a much greater chance this time around, especially in the USA game. Southgate has never been one to shy away from experimentation in friendlies and against opponents who were beaten to a spot in the summers World Cup by the might of Panama, the England boss should feel confident about a victory even if he sent out a load of League One players.

That makes it extremely likely that Dunk will at least be used from the bench. His competition for the centre back berths come from Harry Maguire and John Stones – who will presumably be first choices should Southgate stick with the back four that was so successful in the 3-2 win over Spain – Michael Keane and Joe Gomez.

The USA game has been billed as the Wayne Rooney Foundation Game in which Rooney isn’t starting and none of the gate receipts are going to the Wayne Rooney Foundation. England’s record scorer will play the final 10 minutes for his 120th and final cap, which kind of reduces the game to testimonial status. Nobody would think that the FA had 50,000 unsold tickets before Rooney’s recall, would they?

Dunk’s chances of playing against Croatia appear slimmer, given victory could hand England top place in their group and a chance to be crowned overall Nations League Champions which would guarantee their place at Euro 2020 even before official qualifying has started. We think. Nobody seems to actually understand how the Nations League works, after all.

Dunk obviously did enough to impress Southgate in training as he keeps Tarkowski place, despite the Burnley players return to fitness. Southgate was at Goodison Park on Saturday to watch Dunk in Brighton’s 3-1 defeat to Everton, a game in which Dunk scored but then gifted Richarlison his second and the Toffee’s third.

Should he represent the Three Lions, he will become the first Brighton player since Steve Foster at the 1982 World Cup to play for England.