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      Gareth Southgate explains Ben White’s omission from England squad after Arsenal star’s mysterious World Cup exit

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      ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate revealed he omitted Arsenal ace Ben White because of too many other elite options.Southgate announced his team for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine but left White out despite his prolific role in the Gunners’ Premier League title bid.
      Arsenal ace Ben White was left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squadCredit: Rex
      England boss Gareth Southgate left Ben White out due to other elite optionsCredit: PA
      The centre-back has been filling in at right-back for Mikel Arteta’s side but the England boss preferred Eric Dier, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker.
      The 52-year-old tactician insists Walker, Trippier and James are ahead of him as well as Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was also left out.
      Southgate said: “With Ben, it is similar for Ben and Trent.
      “We have players ahead of those two and we are blessed with talent.
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      “Kyle and Tripps [Trippier] were the ones who played during the World Cup and have been consistent while Reece has come back.”
      This comes three months after White suddenly left England’s 2022 World Cup camp early.
      The FA initially released a statement claiming the 25-year-old departed from Qatar before the Last-16 encounter against Senegal due to “personal reasons”.
      However, reports later suggested the Arsenal ace had a bust-up with England assistant manager Steve Holland.
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      Reports also claimed White became unhappy and struggled to mix with his team-mates.
      Southgate, though, refused to address the speculation in December as he didn’t want to risk giving it any “credibility”.
      He said: “What I’ve been shown was alleged and there was another word that was used.
      “I think by commenting on the story I could be giving it any form of credibility, really.
      “We explained why Ben left the camp and I think it’s important that that is respected, really.” More

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      Romeo Beckham set to face international team in behind-closed-doors friendly with Brentford

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      DAVID BECKHAM’S son Romeo is poised to face Ukraine in a behind-closed-doors friendly ahead of England’s second Euro 2024 qualifier.Brentford have opened up their training ground to the Ukrainians and their B team will play the warm-up game on Thursday, March 23.
      Brentford B frontman Romeo Beckham is expected to line up against Ukraine in a warm-up game for England’s Euro 2024 qualifying opponentsCredit: Getty
      Romeo celebrated in style after his 93rd-minute winner against Wealdstone
      David Beckham watched Romeo’s Brentford B debut at ninth-tier Erith in January before making an unorthodox exit via a fence and bushes
      That means Beckham Junior is expected to take on Ruslan Rotan’s side, who face the Three Lions at Wembley three days later.
      Manchester United legend David, 47, has regularly watched son Romeo as he impresses on loan from Inter Miami for the Londoners.
      When the transatlantic swap was agreed in January Becks Senior posted:  “Exciting start to the year ❤️. Now the hard work and fun begins. Proud of you mate @romeobeckham.”
      And as he watched Romeo’s debut against Erith & Belvedere, David was all smiles as he was mobbed by fans – although after the game he escaped by jumping over a fence and clambering through bushes!
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      Becks Sr and daughter Harper were then at Woking to see Romeo help Brentford B defeat Aston Villa 3-2.
      And last month the 20-year-old forward was snapped celebrating wildly after hitting a stoppage-time winner against Wealdstone to put the Bees into the Middlesex Senior Cup semi-finals.
      Ukraine have opted to base themselves in the capital as the meeting with the Three Lions is their only qualifier during the March break, while there are also clear logistical issues due to the ongoing war.
      The squad have previously based themselves in neighbouring Poland, but considered a number of options before deciding on a camp in England.
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      With four players based in England – including two in London – the capital was a clear choice.
      Arsenal full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk, Everton defender Vitaliy Mykolenko and Bournemouth’s Illya Zabarnyi have all been called up.
      They will arrive on Monday, March 20 and stay in west London before facing England at Wembley Stadium on the Sunday of that week and flying out the following morning.
      Ahead of facing England in 2018 for Wayne Rooney’s final cap, the USA used Brentford’s training ground as their base.
      Ukraine’s meeting with Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions will be their first game since a 0-0 Nations League draw with Scotland in Krakow.
      They have not faced England since a 4-0 defeat in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals.
      Southgate’s men visit Italy in their opening qualifier on March 23 before hosting Ukraine three days later. More

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      Gareth Southgate watching Championship goalkeeper with England boss ready to make shock call-up for Euro 2024 qualifiers

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      SUNDERLAND keeper Anthony Patterson is in line for a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s FULL England squad.Patterson has already been checked out for his first Under-21s appearance as he is earmarked to play in this summer’s European championship.
      Anthony Patterson has impressed for Sunderland this seasonCredit: Getty
      But the Black Cats stopper could make the full squad for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine, or be taken along to train with the team.
      Patterson was being scouted as a potential fourth-choice for the Three Lions even before a calf injury KO’d Crystal Palace keeper Sam Johnstone until April. 
      The 22-year-old has played in all of Sunderland’s 34 league games so far this season, conceding 38 goals.
      The club currently sit 9th in the Championship and four points off the play-offs after back-to-back defeats to Rotherham and Coventry.
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      Patterson has been at the club since 2018 but last season spent time away on loan at Notts County to develop his skillset.
      Southgate has long regarded Jordan Pickford as his number one.
      The 28-year-old, who signed a new contract at Everton earlier this week, was the number 1 at the last two World Cups and the 2020 Euros.
      But his position could come under increased scrutiny as his fellow English goalies fight for the jersey.
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      Until last week’s sending off against Liverpool, Nick Pope had been enjoying a near-faultless season in between the sticks for Newcastle.
      While Aaron Ramsdale has also been consistently impressive for league leaders Arsenal. More

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      Holland confirmed as Nations League 2023 hosts as dates for Uefa tournament are revealed

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      HOLLAND will host the 2023 Nations League finals next summer. The semi-finals take place on June 14 and 15 with the final and third-place play-off on June 18.
      Holland will host the Uefa Nations League finals in 2023Credit: AP
      Matches are set to be staged in Rotterdam and Enschdede with Stadion Feijenoord and De Grolsche Veste the preferred options – the homes of Feyenoord and FC Twente.
      The Johan Cruyff Arena and Philips Stadion are both unavailable due to pre-arranged concerts.
      Louis van Gaal’s side secured their place at the 2023 Nations League finals by topping League A Group 4 ahead of Belgium, Poland and relegated Wales.
      Holland will be joined at the four-team showdown by Croatia, Italy and Spain.
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      Croatia saw off Denmark, France and Austria while Spain pipped Portugal, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
      And Italy recovered from their shock World Cup qualification exit to win their group ahead of Hungary, Germany and England.
      The Three Lions were winless in six matches over the summer sending them down to League B for the next edition.
      The draw for the semi-finals will take place in January.
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      The Nations League was introduced in 2018 to try and eliminate pointless international friendlies with more competitive fixtures.
      Portugal won the inaugural edition in 2019, beating the Netherlands in the final in Porto while France toppled Spain last year in Milan.
      Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe were on target in the final at the San Siro to complete a comeback 2-1 victory for the world champions.
      Croatia will be the only nation making their debut at the finals.
      Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema fired France to the title in 2021Credit: Getty More

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      Chris Waddle explains why England will thrash Wales and backs Southgate even though he doesn’t think he’ll win World Cup

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      ENGLAND legend Chris Waddle is confident the Three Lions will thrash Wales at the World Cup.The Three Lions and the Dragons meet in the Battle of Britain on Tuesday at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in their final match of the group stage.
      Chris Waddle has predicted England will thrash Wales at the World CupCredit: Getty
      Gareth Southgate’s men will top Group B if they win and a draw would be enough to qualify to the Last 16, although if Iran beat USA then England will finish second.
      Wales, on the other hand, need to beat their British counterpart with a score of at least 4-0 to have any hopes of going through after their drab 1-1 draw with USA and their shock 2-0 loss to Iran.
      Waddle, who amassed 62 England caps, does expect a 4-0 result but predicts it will be the other way around.
      The Tottenham and Newcastle great believes Southgate’s side will stand tall because Gareth Bale and co will chase for goals and that will leave them exposed at the back.
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      Waddle told SunSport: “I’m gonna say England win because I think Wales are gonna chase and they’re not the best defensively, let’s be honest.
      “Losing [Wayne] Hennessey is a bit of a blow, it’d be interesting to see what Wales do. Do they sit tight and think, ‘We’ll give them an hour and then we’ll throw everything at it’?
      “But if I was Wales then might as well go for it and if you get caught on the break and get hammered then you get hammered.
      “Listen, you might as well show ambition and say, ‘Look we are going to try and score four goals’ which when you look at it it’s a very tall order but if you don’t have a go at it you’ll never know so I’d be very surprised if they sit back and think, ‘We’ll get a draw’.
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      Chris Waddle insists Gareth Southgate is still the right man to lead EnglandCredit: Dan Charity
      “I’m gonna go 4-0 England. I’m gonna say Harry Kane is gonna get off the mark. I think he will get two and I think we will see the introduction of [Phil] Foden and I think he’ll score.”
      England got their World Cup campaign off to a flying start with a 6-2 win over Iran.
      But the Three Lions’s celebrations were short-lived as they then sustained a hapless 0-0 draw with the US.
      England are practically through to the knockouts, as long as they don’t lose 4-0 to Wales and Iran don’t beat America in the final round of fixtures.
      But questions were risen regarding Southgate’s tactics and choices in the starting line-up, with many left baffled by Manchester City ace Phil Foden’s omission.
      This comes after a disastrous Nations League campaign that saw England relegated from the competition’s top flight.
      Chris Waddle doesn’t expect England to win the World CupCredit: William Hill
      However, Waddle still has full faith in the 52-year-old tactician as he insists he’s the right man for the job after leading the nation to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and Euro 2020 final.
      But the former attacking midfielder doesn’t think the World Cup is coming home because the performances are too “inconsistent”.
      Waddle said when asked if the draw with USA hampers Southgate’s position: “No. The Nations League was a disaster, let’s be honest. But again, players looked tired, we played three at the back and went back on four.
      “I think with the squad we’ve got we look better as a four even though we lack pace at the back. We look better in a four, we don’t need three against the teams we play. He may go back to three against a good side, which is good to have if we can be flexible. I like that.
      “But no, just because we had a bad Nations League, if you’re gonna look at it like that then that means Hansi Flick of Germany should lose his job. He’s just only been in it for a year.
      “You look at other teams who haven’t done well in Europe and aren’t in the World Cup. Did they all get the sack? I think it’s the easiest thing to say if you get bad results. Let’s sack the manager.
      “Players like Gareth Southgate and I think he’s done a terrific job to get us in the semi-finals of a World Cup and a final in the Euros. I think he’s been brilliant.
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      “Yes, it’s been very patchy, form is not great and we will be inconsistent and that’s why I don’t think we will win it. But there’s no reason we can’t get in the quarters.”
      Chris Waddle was speaking at the launch of William Hill’s first Home Shop in Hillsborough. Home Shops give customers a unique matchday experience, with another eight going live when the Premier League returns. More

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      When was Roberto Martinez appointed Belgium manager and why was he sacked by Everton?

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      ROBERTO MARTINEZ’S Belgium returns to action against Morocco TODAY – and he’ll be hoping to guide his side to last-16 qualification.The Spaniard guided perennial underachievers Red Devils to a World Cup semi-final in Russia in 2018.Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Martinez worked alongside Belgium international Romelu Lukaku during their time at Everton
      But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing Martinez’s managerial career, as he was sacked by Premier League side Everton.
      When was Martinez sacked by Everton?
      The Spaniard was fired by the Toffees in May 2016 with just one game left of the season.
      While he had taken Everton to fifth in his first campaign at Goodison Park and to, two semi-finals in his final year, fans were urging the board to sack him.
      The 49-year-old Spaniard left the club in 12th in what was considered another disappointing season.
      Martinez has also managed Swansea City and Wigan Athletic in the Premier League.

      When did Martinez join Belgium?
      Just three months after being sacked by Everton, Martinez had another job as the Belgium head coach.
      He brought in his long-term assistant and friend Graeme Jones to work alongside former World Cup winner Thierry Henry.
      His first match in charge saw him lose to Spain in Brussels.
      Since then, Belgium have become one of the most exciting teams in international football, finishing third at the recent World Cup, including beating England twice.
      Martinez joined as Belgium head coach just three months after his sacking at EvertonCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      Gareth Southgate wants to stay as England boss AFTER World Cup as Three Lions learn opponents for Euro 2024 qualifying

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE is determined to remain as England boss after the World Cup.The defiant Three Lions boss penned a three-year contract after reaching the Euro 2020 final last year.
      Gareth Southgate is contracted with the Three Lions until 2024Credit: Getty
      But he has come under increasing pressure since the Euros, overseeing a disastrous Nations League campaign.
      A six-game winless run, including a 4-0 defeat to Hungary in June, has been less than ideal preparation for the Qatar World Cup.
      Southgate, 52, was in attendance at yesterday’s Euro 2024 qualifying draw – and outlined his desire to remain in charge for the upcoming campaign.
      He said: “As we speak now, I’m contracted to this time in 2024, but I am also well aware in football you have to get results.
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      “So the plan is there and the desire for continuity is there too, but I also don’t take for granted that you can underperform and expect to stay in that office.”
      The Three Lions’ dismal Nations League campaign saw them fall into Pot 2 for the draw – and being drawn alongside wily old foes Italy.
      England will face the Azzurri in a rematch of last year’s Euro 2020 final after drawing them from Pot 1.
      They will also have to navigate Ukraine, North Macedonia and Malta.
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      On the opposition, Southgate added: “It’s clearly a tough draw given the quality of the opposition.
      “We’ve had draws in qualification that have probably been a little bit more comfortable.
      “Although, I’d have to say, Poland and Hungary in the last qualifying group was particularly tough as well. So we’re used to that.
      “The draws are what they are, it’s how you perform on the day.
      “England’s record against Italy is generally not very good — and we’ve got to improve that.” More

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      ‘We have to deal with it’ – England boss Southgate urges players to stand up to pressure and ‘take some ownership’

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE has told his England stars to ‘own’ the pressure as they head into next month’s World Cup.The Three Lions will fly to Qatar on the back of a record run of SIX competitive matches without a win — and Nations League RELEGATION.
      England manager Gareth Southgate has ordered his players to “own” the pressureCredit: Getty
      England have suffered a miserable six-match winless streak ahead of the World CupCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      And England boss Southgate said: “Of course, the pressure is coming for us.
      “You’re going to a World Cup. You would not choose to go into a World Cup with the run of results we’ve had. But, actually, we’re stronger for that. The players have to take some ownership.”
      England finished bottom of their Nations League group, while Luke Shaw’s strike in  the 3-3 Wembley draw with Germany was a first goal from open play in 521 MINUTES.
      England’s World Cup Group B opener is against Iran on November 21.
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      Southgate added: “When it’s going well, it’s enjoyable. But it doesn’t breed that hardness  you’re going to need.
      “We can play friendlies where  we don’t learn so much about people.
      “We’ve been tested against  high-level opposition. Players had to come through more scrutiny, a bit of pressure.
      “Whether we want to delay it, make it  comfortable, in the end  that pressure is coming.
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      “We have to deal with it. We might as well have it in the lead-in, because it means the players have to step up and take some ownership.
      “As a team, we’ll be better for that challenging period.” More