Keep an eye on the England hopefuls with highlights of every Premier League match on the Sky Sports website, app and YouTube channel
Tuesday 3 March 2020 22:49, UK
Nick Pope impresses again as Jarrod Bowen bursts onto the scene... but who else caught Gareth Southgate's eye this weekend? We assess the performances of England hopefuls and who currently has a place pencilled in for the Euro 2020 squad.
Euro 2020 kicks off on 12 June, with England grouped with Croatia, Czech Republic and one of the teams which emerge from the play-offs.
With Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford not at his best at the moment, Gareth Southgate was in the stands at St James' Park to watch another contender in Nick Pope.
Pope made his first England start in their last fixture - a 4-0 win in Kosovo - and the 27-year-old will surely come under consideration for a starting spot at Euro 2020 if he continues his impressive form. Pope had a relatively quiet afternoon against Newcastle but made four saves to rack up his 11th clean sheet of the season, which puts him one ahead of Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson at the top of the standings.
Oli Yew
Joe Gomez and Harry Maguire are likely to be Southgate's preferred centre-back partnership but could Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski earn a spot in the squad? Playing in front of the impressive Pope, he has been an important part of Burnley's mean defence.
Tarkowski, who won his last England cap in September 2018, put in another strong display alongside Ben Mee at Newcastle, making a game-high three blocks and winning more aerial duels than any other player on the pitch.
Oli Yew
There's always a sense of intrigue when Phil Foden is included in a Manchester City line-up, partly because it's quite a rarity. If he produces many more displays like he did at Wembley on Sunday, earning the man-of-the-match award in the process, it will surely become a far more frequent occurrence.
From the off he made an unfamiliar inside-right position his own, floating around Matt Targett and giving his opponent a torrid time. His headed assist for City's opening goal 20 minutes in was deft, but it was far from his crowning moment as he shone with his range and quality of passing, and a light touch reminiscent of a young David Silva. He completed 24 of his 25 first-half passes, and more often than not they got his team-mates on the front foot.
Foden has always been an outsider for a place in Southgate's final squad, but given a lack of real quality to unlock a defence from midfield he will certainly be in the manager's thoughts now.
Ron Walker
If you cast your mind back to the start of the season, Dominic Calvert-Lewin's lack of consistency was hampering his club career, let alone his international aspirations. You could even argue Everton's swoop for Moise Kean in the transfer market indicated a lack of complete faith from his club in his ability to steer them towards their targets.
But, in a real coming-of-age campaign, Calvert-Lewin has seized his opportunity at the spearhead of the Toffees attack to such an extent that he's given Southgate food for thought ahead of this summer's European Championships, irrespective of the ongoing injury concerns surrounding captain Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford.
When you look at form, suitability to Southgate's squad and sheer merit, there are few candidates that can compete with Calvert-Lewin. The 22-year-old has scored more goals than any of his team-mates (8) since Carlo Ancelotti's first took the helm on Boxing Day, including an opportune opener against Manchester United on Sunday. He was contentiously denied a dramatic late winner by VAR, but that shouldn't detract from the fact the in-form striker now represents a viable option for Southgate.
West Ham have spent millions investing in some of Europe's top talent but it might just be a lad from Hull that gets them out of trouble this season. Jarrod Bowen's performance against Southampton was another example of the talent that is lurking in the Sky Bet Championship.
Some may have doubted whether the former Hull star, who had been part of 23 goal involvements this season, had the required skillset to step up a level but this silenced them good and proper. Playing off the right, the 23-year-old caused Southampton an abundance of problems with his silky and direct dribbling. His clever movement was on show for the opening goal, where he produced a finish dripping with Premier League quality. He looks hungry to succeed - could he step up to international level?
Lewis Jones
Declan Rice is finding form at just the right time - boosting West Ham's survival hopes and his chances of starting for England this summer. Playing in a midfield two with Mark Noble in the 3-1 win over Southampton, he patrolled the defensive area with great maturity and helped out his centre-backs with some crucial clearances in an excellent defensive showing from the Hammers.
Lewis Jones
James Ward-Prowse has entered conversations for an England call-up and was Southampton's best player during a disappointing defeat at West Ham. After superbly marshalling Jack Grealish the previous week, Ward-Prowse continued in an unfamiliar right-back role. He grabbed an assist with a driving run and cross for Michael Obafemi and his delivery from set-pieces was at his usual high standard.
Lewis Jones
Jordan Pickford's place in the England squad isn't in doubt - but his position as first-choice keeper is under threat. The Everton goalkeeper made a poor mistake to let Manchester United level at Goodison Park on Sunday, allowing Bruno Fernandes' speculative shot to sneak in under his dive.
Although Pickford responded with a superb double save late in the match, it is the frequency of those errors which could force Southgate to turn away from his long-term No 1 this summer. Only one keeper has made more errors leading to goals in the Premier League this season (three), none have made more errors leading to shots (five).
Peter Smith
Incidents seem to follow John Stones like a shadow. Injuries have not helped him on the international stage since his disaster at the Nations League finals last summer but a calamity like the one which led to Aston Villa's only goal in the Carabao Cup final, is all too familiar.
It will frustrate Stones more than anyone given he has been a bit-part player at times this season - he's only played in one of England's six games this term - but the errors which have dogged the game of an otherwise capable defender threaten to derail his development. There are plenty of English defenders impressing in the Premier League this season - and whether they possess the natural ability of Stones or not, another big mistake in another big game certainly escalates their case better than it does his.
Ron Walker
A lot was said about the hopes of Aston Villa resting on Jack Grealish ahead of kick-off - he has created one in four of their Premier League chances, after all - but the uncapped attacker had a quiet game at Wembley, with a performance unlikely to sway Southgate's view on him.
With just 46 touches in the game, Grealish's threat was limited by Manchester City and, although he looked more at home when he was switched from playing at No 10 to inside off the left flank with 20 minutes to play, he was unable to make the difference on the big stage.
Ron Walker
Dele Alli was left out of the England squad in October and November last year so must continue to convince Southgate of his worth - but his performance as the focal point of Spurs' attack against Wolves defined his season; stodgy.
He flirted in and out of the game, showing some nice touches in around the box but you felt Jose Mourinho would have wanted more from him. His only goal in his last 13 appearances came in the 2-1 Premier League win vs Norwich in January and his rustiness was on show when planting a presentable header wide moments before Wolves countered to make it 2-2. Should have scored himself in the first half when his saved shot was turned in by Steven Bergwijn.
Lewis Jones
James Maddison has so far struggled to convince Southgate he is the man to open up defences for England and he had a quiet game in Leicester's defeat at Norwich. Youri Tielemans was left on the bench and the onus is usually on the 23-year-old to create in his absence.
However, back at his former club, Maddison struggled to get onto the ball in open play and his set-piece deliveries did not yield many chances - just two out of six found a Leicester player - making him largely ineffective. He couldn't find an opening for a shot against the Premier League's bottom club either. Not his finest hour - and he has now gone seven Premier League games without a goal or assist.
Charlotte Marsh
Sky Sports' Peter Smith names the squad he believes Southgate would select if the Euros were starting next week and everyone was fit...
Goalkeepers
Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, Nick Pope
Defenders
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, Harry Maguire, Joe Gomez, Tyrone Mings, John Stones, Ben Chilwell, Danny Rose
Midfielders
Declan Rice, Harry Winks, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mason Mount, James Maddison, Dele Alli
Forwards
Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho, Harry Kane, Tammy Abraham, Marcus Rashford
Find out all the latest Sky Bet odds on who will make Southgate's 23-man squad here
