Four Crystal Palace players are in Gareth Southgate’s England squad – but how much game time will the quartet see?

BY EDMUND BRACK
edmund@slpmedia.co.uk

Four Crystal Palace players are in Gareth Southgate’s England squad – with the question being how much action any of them will see at the European Championships in Germany.

The Eagles’ flying end to the Premier League season under new boss Oliver Glasner helped ensure that they are the club with the most players in the Three Lions squad.

England commence their Group C campaign against Serbia on Sunday evening (8pm) at the Arena Auf Schalke in Gelsenkirchen.

Greenwich’s Eze is taking part in his first major tournament after cruelly missing out in 2021. He was named in England’s provisional squad for the Euros but on the same day suffered a major achilles injury in a Palace training session.

Eze made his first Three Lions start in the penultimate warm-up game – a 3-0 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina – and impressed ex-Palace captain Southgate enough to make the final 26-man squad this time around.

The former Millwall youngster will be up against Anthony Gordon, Phil Foden and Jarrod Bowen for a place in the starting line-up.

The playmaker could see his minutes limited from the bench, with Southgate naming Gordon in the left attacking midfielder spot behind Harry Kane in the 1-0 defeat to Iceland on Friday, the last action before England flew to Germany.

Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham and Manchester City’s Foden are both nailed on to start, with Eze most likely to be fighting for a spot behind Kane or to the left in a three-man attack behind the Bayern Munich striker.

England’s final group game is against Slovenia on June 25. If they have qualified for the knockout stages already then it could present the chance for Eze to start and stake a bigger claim in the round of 16.

Lewisham-raised Guehi, who was born in the Ivory Coast, is also making his international tournament debut since becoming an England regular in March 2022.

The 23-year-old looks set to be a starter for Southgate in Germany.

Harry Maguire has been left out due to a calf injury and Lewis Dunk, Ezri Konsa and Joe Gomez are all down the pecking order.

Guehi, who had a minor clean-up procedure to his knee in February, started against Bosnia and Iceland.

His centre-back partner is likely to be John Stones.

Wharton was the biggest surprise call-up from the Eagles cohort. The midfielder, 20, made his senior debut against Bosnia as a second-half substitute and only joined Palace from Championship side Blackburn in January, with the Eagles shelling out an initial £18million to secure his services.

Wharton has swiftly stepped up from U21 level, where he debuted in March, and is fighting for a starting spot next to Arsenal’s Declan Rice.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Gallagher and Kobie Mainoo are the other three players Southgate will be mulling over for a start alongside Rice. Alexander-Arnold looks set to win the race, even though the 25-year-old is a right-back by trade for Liverpool.

“It’s a surreal feeling,” said Wharton, of his England inclusion.

“Honestly, I wasn’t really expecting it – obviously I’ve only just gone into the Premier League.

“It was more just sort of a bonus kind of thing if I did get in, so I’m absolutely delighted.

“To get to do what I love at the top stage, I can’t beat it. It’s just more football for me. That’s how I look at it. I’ve really enjoyed the last six months – it’s gone really fast.  I just want to keep playing football, getting better. Every kid who grows up playing football wants to play in the Premier League and play for the country.

“I got to play for the team (Blackburn) that I supported to begin with. I really enjoyed that, and then it’s just continued with that since moving to the Premier League and then now here.

“It’s all been very fast, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Goalkeeper Dean Henderson will provide competition, along with Aaron Ramsdale, to number one Jordan Pickford.

Palace’s Sam Johnstone looked set to be heading to Germany as Southgate’s number two before he suffered an elbow injury in March which required surgery – opening the door for Henderson at both club level and internationally.

Eze, Wharton and Guehi all had suitors even before they made England’s final squad and a huge platform to showcase their talent.

Wharton has been linked with Bayern Munich after the ease with which he has adapted to the Premier League.

Eze’s release clause – which is just below £70million with add-ons – could also see a club choose to swoop for the 25-year-old if he makes a good impression on the international stage.

Guehi, who had two years at Cray Wanderers before joining Chelsea at the age of eight, will only have two years left on his deal with the Eagles this summer and has been linked with a move to Arsenal and Manchester United in recent months.

The recent operation was also a chance to clear up any medical issues ahead of any potential summer switch away from SE25.