5 of Dream Team’s top 10 English players NOT in latest international squad

INTERNATIONAL call-ups aren’t handed out solely based on Dream Team points – we know that.

But what we also know is good individual performances contribute to high scoring points and should put you in the frame for one.

So you may be surprised to learn that five of England’s top 10 players of the season so far aren’t included in Gareth Southgate’s latest squad to face Malta and North Macedonia.

The highest of those snubbed is West Ham midfielder James Ward-Prowse (£4.7m) who is a contentious call to many Three Lions supporters.

DREAM TEAM’S TOP TEN ENGLISH PLAYERS

1. Bukayo Saka – £6.5m – 130pts
2. Jarrod Bowen – £5.2m – 119pts
3. Ollie Watkins – £4.7m – 108pts
4. James Ward-Prowse – £4.2m – 106pts
5. Phil Foden – £4.7m – 105pts
6. Kieran Trippier – £5.4m – 103pts
7. James Maddison – £4.2m – 94pts
8. Anthony Gordon – £3.6m – 93pts
9. Raheem Sterling – £3.8m – 88pts
10. Nick Pope – £4.2m – 86pts

Ward-Prowse is amongst the cheapest of the top English scorers so far too at just £4.2m, with Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips surprisingly more-fancied than JWP.

His 106 points actually puts him 7th in the charts across ALL of Dream Team, highlighting his impact at the Hammers this term.

It’s Arsenal starboy Bukayo Saka who is the leading Lion at this stage of the season, with a cool 130 points despite his recent injury troubles.

More than one in three managers (37.8%) have put their faith in Saka and haven’t been let down, with 22 bonus points in total to his name.

Jarrod Bowen (£5.2m) and Ollie Watkins (£4.7m) are second and third on 119 and 108 points, respectively.

Registered a midfielder, Bowen has 23.4% of manager’s trust in Dream Team, with a 7.4 points per gameweek average so far.

While Watkins is the highest English forward in the game, despite just 19.2% of managers backing him so far.

Phil Foden (£4.7m) is fifth on the English list, with Kieran Trippier (£5.4m) just two points behind him in sixth.

James Maddison (£4.2m) is the next of those not included in the latest squad, though he does miss out through injury and would have been a potential starter had he not been crocked.

Despite his well-documented, stunning start to the season, he’s just a point clear of Anthony Gordon (£3.6m) who has been snubbed altogether.

The U-21s hero has been a revelation for Newcastle this year, with Scotland reportedly circling to tempt him north for international football.

He has nine bonus points to his name from his 93 total so far and can count himself unlucky to have missed out.

Team-mate Nick Pope (£4.2m) will likely also feel aggrieved given his own solid form for Newcastle, particularly after seeing benchwarmer Aaron Ramsdale and Crystal Palace’s Sam Johnstone picked ahead of him.

Pope is tenth on the English list, which is just below Raheem Sterling (£3.8m), who has rightfully been singled out for praise given his return to top form at Chelsea.

Sterling’s last three gameweek scores read 18 – 6 – 8, showing his contribution to the Blues upturn in fortunes in recent weeks.

Southgate says the door is “100% open” for Sterling to return in the future – he’ll maybe just need to improve on his 15 bonus points to date!

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk