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      Gareth Southgate explains tactical reason he selected Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher in England World Cup 2022 squad

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE has explained that Conor Gallagher’s “goal threat” and “pressing” is why he has been called-up for the World Cup.The Chelsea midfielder was called-up ahead of James Ward-Prowse who had been a regular in the England squad with Southgate at the helm.
      Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has been selected for England’s World Cup squad.Credit: Conor Molloy/News Images
      Gallagher excelled last season on loan at Crystal Palace but this season he has not been at the same level for Chelsea.
      However, since the arrival of manager Graham Potter, his playing time has improved and he has now racked up a fair amount of minutes on the pitch this campaign.
      The 22-year-old is a box-to-box midfielder and is capable of scoring goals and defending from the front, which is one of the reasons Southgate decided to reward him with a spot in Qatar.
      The England boss said: “He is fantastic at pressing the ball and there will be moments when we need certain attributes.
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      “We feel he can be that sort of player, not as experienced but he has an impact and a goal threat.
      “When you talk about the midfield you look to score and create and does a bit of all of that.
      “We were really pleased with his reaction to being left out when he went with the U21s.
      “His mentality was excellent. It is a great example that there is always a route back with us.”
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      Gallagher is not the only Chelsea player to make it into the England squad as his team-mates Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling both receiving calls from Southgate.
      However, his Trevor Chabolah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek miss out.
      Whereas Blues defenders Ben Chilwell and Reece James were both ruled out of the tournament with fitness and injury concerns.
      Gallagher will be competing with Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, and Mount for a spot in Southgate’s team. More

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      Gareth Southgate reveals he picked James Maddison for England’s World Cup squad WEEKS ago… but refused to tell him

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE decided to pick James Maddison in his World Cup squad WEEKS ago – but refused to tell him.The Leicester City midfielder returned to the Three Lions squad for the first time since 2019 when he was picked in the 26-man party on Thursday.
      James Maddison has been named in the England squad for the World CupCredit: PA
      Maddison has been in sensational form for Leicester CityCredit: Getty
      Maddison’s one and only cap came in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Montenegro almost three years ago.
      But his form of late has been impossible to ignore, with the 25-year-old performing right at the peak of his powers, registering six goals and four assists in 12 games this season.
      As a result, Maddison convinced Southgate some time ago, but the England boss didn’t fancy telling him.
      He said: “A lot of people were suggesting he wouldn’t be with us but we decided a couple of weeks ago that he would, but we wouldn’t tell him that then.
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      “He is playing really well and he is a good player, we have always said that.
      “He has earned the right and we think he can give us something slightly different than others we have.
      “At various stages there have been considerations and debates about James.
      “Ahead of the Euros I don’t think he was in contention and then probably a fair debate about including him in September.
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      England start their World Cup campaign against Iran on Monday 21 November
      “But he is playing well as any attacking player in the country.
      “He has always been up against good players, he is playing exceptionally well.
      “Not enough players play forward these days. He can score goals from distance.”
      Southgate was asked how the Leicester star reacted to the call and he said: “He was delighted.
      “I had some very difficult calls emotionally at the other end of the spectrum, so it was nice to give myself a bit of an enjoyable end to that.” More

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      World Cup 2022 – England vs Iran: Date, stream FREE, TV channel, kick-off time, squad CONFIRMED for Qatar showpiece

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      ENGLAND’S World Cup campaign begins later this month against Iran – and Gareth Southgate has confirmed his squad. The Three Lions’ last World Cup campaign ended in agony as they lost 2-1 to Croatia in the semi-finals of the 2018 edition in Russia.
      England play Iran in their opening World Cup game in QatarCredit: Getty
      But four years on from then, and with a Euro 2020 final appearance in the bag too, Southgate’s men are looking to finally overcome the very last hurdle.
      It’s been 56 years since England won their first and only World Cup, and expectations of the team continue to grow every four years.
      Iran will be their first test, before further group stage clashes with rivals Wales and 2010 World Cup group rivals USA.
      This tournament could be make or break for Southgate, who may view the Qatar showpiece as his last opportunity to finally win major silverware as England boss.
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      When is England vs Iran?

      England’s 2022 World Cup opener with Iran will get underway from 1pm UK time on Monday, November 21.
      The game will be held at the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar’s capital Doha.
      The stadium was opened in 1976 and can hold up to 45,000 fans.

      What TV channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      England vs Iran will be shown live on BBC One in the UK.
      You can live stream the action from the BBC iPlayer, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      The game is FREE to watch on the BBC, so long as you have a TV licence.

      World Cup 2022 ODDS BOOST: GET England at 10/1 to win the Qatar tournament with 10bet – industry best price
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      Who is in England’s 26-man squad?
      Gareth Southgate has finally announced his 26-man squad for England ahead of the World Cup.
      Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Nick Pope (Newcastle)
      Defenders: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Benjamin White (Arsenal), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), John Stones (Man City), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Conor Coady (Everton, on loan from Wolves), Luke Shaw (Man Utd)
      Midfielders: Declan Rice (West Ham), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Man City), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Mason Mount (Chelsea)
      Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Callum Wilson (Newcastle), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Man City), James Maddison (Leicester City) More

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      Three ways England could line up at World Cup 2022 after Gareth Southgate names his 26-man squad for Qatar

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE’S long-awaited England squad has finally been unveiled.The Three Lions boss revealed the 26 players he is taking to Qatar on Thursday afternoon.
      Southgate announced his England squad on ThursdayCredit: EPA
      England’s 26-man squad for the World Cup
      And it is a special moment for the likes of Callum Wilson, James Maddison and Conor Gallagher who were all included.
      But it was heartbreak for the likes of Ivan Toney, Tammy Abraham and James Ward-Prowse who all missed out.
      Now attention turns towards the starting line-up and how Southgate will organise the team for the tournament – which begins for England against Iran on November 21.
      Here are three starting XIs that could be fielded during the World Cup.
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      3-4-3 with Maguire, Sterling and Foden but NO Mount or Saka
      How England could line up at the World Cup
      This is arguably the most likely line-up for England should they come up against a bigger side in the latter stages of the tournament.
      Southgate is expected to resort to a back three when faced with more difficult opposition – and that would almost certainly mean Harry Maguire on the left of a back three.
      John Stones and Kyle Walker would likely line up alongside him – although Walker is a doubt for the start of the tournament.
      Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice seem the obvious choices in central midfield, flanked by Kieran Trippier and Luke Shaw.
      And then up front Southgate has frequently put trust in Raheem Sterling to play off Harry Kane – with the Chelsea man repaying that faith with three goals at the Euros.
      The other spot is up for debate – with Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden expected to be battling it out.
      Right now, though, Man City man Foden may just have the edge.
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      4-3-3 with Mount and Maddison but NO Trippier or Sterling
      Another way England could shape up in Qatar
      Many believe that for the group stage games Southgate should let the chains off a little and go with a back four.
      Fixtures against Iran, USA and Wales will likely present England with the task of trying to break those sides down.
      That could mean Walker switches to right-back and Trippier drops out.
      Maguire and Stones would likely keep their places – although Eric Dier, Conor Coady and Ben White will be pushing Maguire all the way.
      Shaw remains the obvious choice at left-back, with Bellingham and Rice in midfield.
      But a three in the middle of the park could see Mason Mount enter the fold – another of Southgate’s most-trusted players.
      And then up front the manager could decide to switch things around a bit with Foden swapping to the left and possibly James Maddison coming off the right.
      3-4-3 with White, Phillips, Alexander-Arnold and Grealish but NO Maguire, Shaw, Bellingham or Foden
      A third way England could line up at the tournament
      The final line-up is another 3-4-3 but with a number of changes to the personnel.
      Jordan Pickford, Stones, Rice and Kane are the only four who make it into each of SunSport’s three line-ups.
      And for this last one we have dropped Maguire – who is coming under fire for his form and lack of minutes at Manchester United.
      Dier and White are two of the best-placed defenders to replace the Red Devils captain thanks to their form so far this season.
      Trippier is the only other recognisable left wingback option in the squad behind Shaw – and he played there at the Euros.
      The cry for Trent Alexander-Arnold to feature is something which will not go away. Southgate may test it out at some point.
      Read More on The Sun
      Bellingham would seem the natural partner to Rice in midfield, but a returning Kalvin Phillips has thrived in an England shirt and could yet resume his relationship with the West Ham man in front of the defence.
      Then in attack, Jack Grealish is another forward player Southgate could turn to if he is looking to unlock a defence, with Saka also very adept at doing the same thing. More

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      ‘Sheer brilliance’ – Gary Lineker hails James Maddison for ‘forcing’ his way into England World Cup 2022 squad

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      GARY LINEKER has praised James Maddison for “forcing” his way into Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the World Cup.The Leicester City talisman will be on the plane to Qatar as he looks to win his first cap since making his sole international appearance in 2019.
      James Maddison has been included in England’s 26-man squad for the World CupCredit: PA

      Maddison was revealed to be in the squad in today’s announcement, much to the relief of many fans who had been urging the England boss to select him.
      The Foxes midfielder’s brilliant form in the league this season has seen him score six goals and assisted four more in only 12 appearances.
      Leicester fan and former Foxes star Lineker was one to take to social media to praise the example set by Maddison.
      In a response to a tweet showing Maddison’s superb stats, he tweeted: “Absolutely. @Madders10 is the best example of forcing yourself into a squad at the very least, by the sheer brilliance of your performances.”
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      Lineker scored 48 goals for England and is now fourth behind Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane and Bobby Charlton in the all-time list.
      Maddison will have from now until England’s World Cup opener against Iran on November 21 to try to displace Southgate’s trusted players.
      The England boss has relied on his favourite players when he finished third in the 2018 World Cup and runners up at last year’s Euros.
      Maddison will be competing with players such as Mason Mount, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden for a spot in the starting line-up.
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      For many players that get called up to international tournaments, they never get off the bench.
      In the last Euros, five players never played and only 16 played more than 100 minutes for England under Southgate.
      After England’s opener against Iran, they have group games against USA on November 25 and Wales on November 29 as they try to get to the knockout stages. More

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      The Premier League club that boasts the most England players in World Cup squad revealed… and shock side are second

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      MANCHESTER CITY boast the most stars of any club in England’s 26-man World Cup squad.Defender Kyle Walker was touch-and-go due to injury but he makes the squad along with four other City players.
      England’s 26-man squad for the World Cup
      James Maddison has been called up for the first time since 2019Credit: Reuters
      Newcastle star Callum Wilson is going to QatarCredit: PA
      Fellow defender John Stones, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden have also been named in Gareth Southgate’s squad, as has another injury-hit star Kalvin Phillips.
      Citizens boss Pep Guardiola confirmed Phillips would be fit for the World Cup and the midfielder came off the bench to make his first appearance since September against Chelsea on Wednesday.
      No club match City for number of players in the squad but Newcastle are a surprise close second with three.
      Kieran Trippier and Nick Pope are mainstays of the squad but they have now been joined by Callum Wilson, who is somewhat of a surprise inclusion.
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      Eddie Howe said the striker was desperate to go to the World Cup and he has been rewarded for his return of six goals in ten Premier League games – with strikers Tammy Abraham and Ivan Toney missing out.
      Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United also have three players each in the squad, with Marcus Rashford returning to the Three Lions set-up.
      He has not made an England appearance since the Euro 2020 final but is joined in the squad by United pair Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire, while Jadon Sancho has not made the cut.
      Another player returning for the first time since the Euros is in-form Arsenal defender Ben White.
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      Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale from the Gunners also feature while Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher and Raheem Sterling represent Chelsea.
      Tottenham, Liverpool, Everton, West Ham and Borussia Dortmund also have players in the squad, as do Leicester with James Maddison.
      Maddison’s inclusion comes amid some fine performances for the Foxes as he has helped drag Brendan Rodgers’ side off the bottom of the Premier League.
      And it means he is set to add to the solitary England cap he won against Montenegro in 2019. More

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      England World Cup 2022 squad LIVE: James Maddison IN, Conor Gallagher IN, Callum Wilson IN, Ivan Toney OUT

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE has named his 26-man England squad for the World Cup – and he has picked James Maddison.All the talk ahead of the Qatar showpiece was whether Southgate would pick the in-form Leicester ace, and he has.
      Though Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Roma’s Tammy Abraham have not been chosen for Qatar.
      The big tournament kicks off in just 10 days.
      How to get free bets on football – the 17 best bookies to claim rewards and bonuses
      Stay tuned with all the latest ahead of the tournament…
      Southgate ready to push on
      Gareth Southgate admits he’s ready to go a step further after reaching the World Cup semis in 2018.
      The England gaffer explained: “In 2018 we were at the start of something where we hadn’t won a knockout game for 10 years and there was a little bit less experience in the group for big matches.
      “I think this is similar in terms of its standing to the group that went to the Euros and we’re excited by the group. We think there’s a lot of exciting talent in it but the whole group has got to come together.
      “It’s a unique situation for everybody this tournament, the timing of it.We’ve got to adapt better than everyone else in this coming period.”
      Who are the biggest casualties?
      There’s plenty of heartache going around today, with Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori and Ivan Toney shock exclusions from the England squad.
      Elsewhere, Jarrod Bowen and Marc Guehi will have been left feeling disappointed.
      And recently-capped dup Kyle Walker-Peters and Tyrick Mitchell may have thought they had a chance following injuries to Reece James and Ben Chilwell.
      Fans divided over Southgate calls
      England fans are split after Gareth Southgate announced his 26-man squad for the World Cup in Qatar.
      Some feel the Three Lions boss has got it bang on, picking the players that can secure glory this winter.
      But others have been left angrily scratching their heads.
      READ FAN REACTION TO ENGLAND SQUAD HERE
      Southgate’s Qatar Lions finally revealed
      It’s been a long wait, with plenty of question marks over certain players.
      But England boss Gareth Southgate has finally confirmed his 26-man squad for Qatar 2022.
      Let’s take a closer look at the players and the clubs they represent…

      Southgate on FIFA politics comments
      “I think that’s highly unlikely (to stay silent on political issues).
      “I think we have always spoken about issues that should we talked about especially ones we feel we can effect.
      “We have spoken in the same way other countries have about the human rights challenges and been very clear on our standpoint.
      “Of course, we would like to focus primarily on football. This is a carnival of football and you don’t want to diminish that but we recognise we are going to be in that situation.”
      Southgate on LGBTQ+ being victimised and Iran supplying Russian weaponry
      “We stand for inclusivity, we’re very very strong on that.
      “We think it’s important in terms of all our supporters and we understand the challenges this tournament brings.
      “If it wasn’t for the strength of that community we wouldn’t be Women’s European Champions, so it’s very important to us.
      “With Iran that’s a political situation that I don’t know enough about to comment on, so those decisions have to be taken by governing bodies.
      “I can’t comment on it with enough authority to give you an answer.”
      Comparison to other previous squads
      “I think they’ve all been good squads.
      “I 2018 we were at the start of something where we hadn’t won a knockout game for 10 years and there was less experience in the group.
      “I think this group is similar in standing to the one that went to the Euros.
      “We’re excited by the group we think there’s a lot of talent in it.”
      Southgate on Maddison reaction to being picked
      “Yeah he was delighted.
      “And as I said I had some difficult calls that were emotionally at the other end of the spectrum so it was nice to give myself an enjoyable end to that.
      “Because you know I’m excited about going to a World Cup it’s my fourth and that’s a privilege and an honour.
      “All of the calls were a reminder of what it means to the players.”
      More Southgate on Maddison
      “He’s always been up against some really good players in that area of the pitch and we’ve not always played with a number 10 profile.
      “We like that he finds pockets of space well and turns and plays forwards – not enough players play forward in this day and age – and of course his set play delivery is outstanding and can score from long distance.”
      Southgate on player experience
      “Yeah, he (Maguire) is one of our best centre-backs.
      “We have players in the squad who have been to tournaments and have performed at the level, they knows what’s required.
      “We have other players who are playing well and we need to balance all that in the team.”
      Southgate on Maguire
      “Physically we’ve had really good communication with all the clubs on training loads.
      “We’re picking up various fitness levels and we need to get that right.
      “We’ve picked our more experience defenders and we think some of the younger ones have really good qualities but we don’t think they’ve done enough to push the more experienced ones out.”
      Gamble on Phillips and Walker
      On the gamble of bringing Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips, Southgate said: “Not that’s not the case (they can’t play opening game).
      “Kalvin played last night, so with him he’s free of injury. We are aware he won’t be able to play 90 minutes so we will build his fitness.
      “We don’t really have a defensive midfielder outside of (Declan) Rice. We have Hendo (Jordan Henderson) who can play there but that’s not really his number one position so we don’t have a lot of cover in the country for that position.
      “Kalvin is a super player and we feel that’s a risk worth taking and we think he can add to the group.
      “Kyle’s a little different but he will be available again by the end of the group stage.
      “We had to make a difficult call with Reece (James) but with him if everything went perfectly he wasn’t going to be available until the latter stages of the tournament and there were too many unknowns and we can’t take a player who isn’t available in the group.”
      Southgate on Abraham snub
      “Tammy’s had a poor run of scoring form at the wrong time and it’s not a case where we are three or four weeks away from the start of the tournament – we’re 10 days off so form couldn’t be more important.
      “We’re watching their club form but we don’t really know where they are until we see them face-to-face on the training pitch.”
      Southgate conversations
      “I haven’t had a chance (to speak with) with Callum (Wilson), I have had with James because this morning there was a lot of speculation about him not being with us but we had decided a couple of weeks ago that he would be with us.
      “I didn’t get a chance to speak with Callum because my priority on these days are the difficult conversations and sad news and that’s really tough.
      “There’s not really many harder decisions in football than that, maybe releasing a young player at the early stages of their career but the nature of those conversations good and bad remind you of what it means to go to a World Cup.”
      Southgate on Maddison inclusion
      “He’s playing really well.
      “We’ve always said he’s a good player and we think he can offer something slightly different to the other attacking players that we’ve got.
      “At various stages there’s been conversations and debates about James…
      “I think he’s playing as well as any of the other attacking players in this country and he’s a little different to the others and we might need that.”
      Southgate on tough decisions and whether the squad has everything
      “Yeah, we’ve wanted to make sure we’ve got the balance of the squad right.
      “In this day and age squad is more important than ever. With five subs you can change almost half the team changed during a game so you want different options of matches and for different stages of the tournament.
      “Having 26 available meant we’ve been able to take a couple of risks that we might have not been able to with 23.
      “We think the balance is there and we have the cover we need. We’re lighter in depth in some areas than others in our country.
      “But we think we have everything covered.”
      Southgate press conference
      England boss Southgate is set to talk through his squad.
      Possible line up
      Is this England’s best possible World Cup team?

      ENGLAND WORLD CUP SQUAD ANNOUNCED
      So here it is, Gareth Southgate’s England World Cup squad.
      Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale
      Defence: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady, Eric Dier, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker, Ben White
      Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Jordan Henderson, Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice
      Forwards: Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, James Maddison, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling, Callum Wilson
      Some stats behind Maddison
      Maddison’s creativity has long been hailed to be among the very best in the country, and it seems the stats back this idea up.
      players at non-Big Six clubs to create 100+ chances in a PL season in the last decade:Leighton Baines 2012-13 Dimitri Payet 2015-16James Maddison 2018-19— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) November 10, 2022

      BREAKING: BEN WHITE INCLUDED IN ENGLAND SQUAD
      Ben White has been included in the England squad for Qatar, according to The Athletic.
      White has been in terrific form for Arsenal this season and was an emergency call-up for an injured Trent Alexander-Arnold at the Euros.
      30-minute claxon
      We now have just 30 minutes until the England team is officially announced.
      It’s been one hell of a day already in terms of news bombshells but can we expect anymore to come…
      Sherwood picks next England boss
      Tim Sherwood has picked who should be England’s next manager.
      It has been rumoured that this World Cup could be the last one with Southgate in charge, and Sherwood has revealed who he believes should take up the mantle after him.
      Speaking to Fair Betting Sites, he said: “Eddie Howe would be my first choice and Potter has claims too.
      “As mentioned I’ve been impressed with Newcastle this season and what Eddie Howe is doing there, so he’d have to be a big contender.”
      BREAKING: JAMES MADDISON IS IN WORLD CUP SQUAD
      James Maddison has finally convinced Gareth Southgate of his quality and has earned a place in the England World Cup squad, according to reports.
      The Leicester star has been knocking on the door of the England team for some time now and it appears he will now make an appearance at the World Cup, as reported by Matt Law.
      Maddison made his debut under Southgate in 2019 but has failed to appear since despite his strong form for Leicester.
      Samba party
      Brazil have been backed to win the World Cup by Tim Sherwood.
      The former Tottenham manager told Fair Betting Sites: “If I’m betting with my own money I’m backing Brazil.
      “When you see their squad it’s like the Harlem Globetrotters!!
      “An incredible squad of players and if they can knit it all together they will take some stopping.”
      Load more entries… More

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      Sadio Mane set to be named in Senegal’s World Cup 2022 squad despite Bayern Munich star suffering tendon injury

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      SADIO MANE’S World Cup dream appears to be alive with the Bayern Munich star set to be named in the Senegal squad, according to reports.The former Liverpool winger emerged as a major doubt for the tournament after injuring his ankle on Tuesday against Werder Bremen.
      Sadio Mane’s World Cup dream was thrown into doubt after injuring his ankleCredit: Getty
      But the Bayern Munich star still looks set to be on the plane to Qatar
      Mane hobbled off and looked in obvious pain when he left the Allianz Arena pitch.
      In a statement, Bayern Munich said: “Sadio Mane has picked up an injury and he won’t be available for game against Schalke.
      “Further tests will follow in the next few days — Bayern is in contact with the medical team of Senegalese Football Association.”
      Despite the concerns, Get French Football News believe that Mane will be named in the squad on Friday.
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
      According to sources, Mane “remains calm” about the situation.
      The 30-year-old has been in excellent form for Bayern following his summer move from Liverpool, netting 11 goals.
      But Mane has been even more clutch for his country in 2022.
      Firstly, he scored the winning penalty in February as Senegal beat Egypt to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time ever.
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      He repeated the feat two months later when he once again scored the decisive kick against old Liverpool pal Mo Salah in a World Cup play-off to help Senegal secure their place in Qatar.
      Mane is his country’s all-time leading scorer and would be one of the most experienced players in Aliou Cisse’s squad. More