‘How can you?’: Micah Richards doesn’t think 25-year-old Everton player should be going to the World Cup

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Everton fans will be turning their attention away from Goodison Park in a couple of weeks’ time.

The World Cup started in less than three weeks and plenty of Everton’s players will be keeping an eye on squad announcements.

Speaking on The Monday Night Club, Micah Richards was discussing the potential England squad.

Gareth Southgate will have a pretty good idea of who’s going to be in his 26-man squad.

He has until next Sunday to announce who’s on the plane to Qatar, but is expected to make his final announcement next Thursday.

Everton’s players have two more matches against Leicester and Bournemouth to try and force their way into his plans.

One player whose potential inclusion has been discussed is Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Calvert-Lewin already has 11 caps and has scored four international goals.

However, he hasn’t received a call-up since last summer’s European Championships.

Richards has now said that Calvert-Lewin shouldn’t go to the World Cup.

The 25-year-old has suffered horribly with injuries in the past 12 months.

He’s missed 24 matches since being an unused substitute against Italy last summer, and has fallen down the England pecking order.

Calvert-Lewin completed his first 90 minutes of the season against Fulham on Saturday, but has only scored once this season.

Calvert-Lewin shouldn’t go to the World Cup – Richards

England captain Harry Kane is the first name on Gareth Southgate’s team sheet, but there’s a discussion over who’s going to be his back-ups.

Southgate called-up Ivan Toney in September, but didn’t give him his debut.

Glenn Murray has suggested that Callum Wilson should go to Qatar, and Richards agrees.

It would be harsh on a more in-form forward if the Everton forward did receive a call-up.

And Richards has explained why he thinks Calvert-Lewin shouldn’t go to the World Cup.

“If Kane gets an injury, then you might go to (Marcus) Rashford, but Rashford’s not a number nine,” Richards said.

“But we’ve seen Toney doing it week in, week out for Brentford and we’ve seen Wilson do it for Newcastle week in, week out.”

“I’m taking three centre-forwards, what we would call number nines.

“Wilson, Kane and Toney. How can you take Calvert-Lewin, he’s just come back from a big injury, he’s in good form as of now?

“We talk about players being in good form going into the World Cup, Toney’s in form, Wilson’s in form and Kane’s in form.”