Martin Keown endorses Joe Gomez to be part of England’s starting back line

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BBC pundit Martin Keown feels Gareth Southgate should select Joe Gomez as his first choice centre half at Euro 2020, even if his level of gametime doesn’t improve with Liverpool.

In the Daily Mail, Keown endorsed Gomez to partner Harry Maguire after England sealed a seeded spot at next summer’s tournament with a 4-0 victory over Kosovo.

He said: “Southgate will have left Kosovo asking himself questions. Who starts at the back alongside Harry Maguire? I’d go with Joe Gomez. Southgate likes to pick players who play regularly for their clubs. Gomez has not been starting as much as he would like for Liverpool, but I’d break that rule for him.

“Tyrone Mings encountered a couple of tricky moments on Sunday night. He sat very deep and did not always deal with Kosovo’s balls into the box. John Stones seems devoid of confidence, too. So that is an area for Southgate to look at.”

TBR’s View – England spot there for the taking if Gomez can get regular gametime

Gomez and Liverpool team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are in similar positions; they have the quality to get into the England side but need to stay fit and somehow muscle in on Jurgen Klopp’s starting team.

A partner for Virgil van Dijk and a creative midfielder are two areas in which the Reds could improve, so there is the chance for both men to reestablish themselves.

But it’s a tough ask in a side which is doing so well at the top of the Premier League right now. If they can manage it, they’ve both got a great chance of starting at Euro 2020.

If they can’t, then the competition for places at Anfield will have worked against them and players getting more gametime – such as Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount – may jump ahead in the queue.