 insists he has 'not had that conversation' and that would not have stopped him selecting Toney, who has scored nine goals for his club this term. 'We think Callum's just in that really rich vein of form and has been with us a little bit more, been on the pitch with us, we know him a little bit better,' said the England manager, who has also recalled Marcus Rashford. 'We've then got back up for that position with Raheem (Sterling), withMarcus. That was the process. The rest, I don't know so much about. We have continued to pick players in the past when they've been on a charge but I don't know how that's going to play out and what the timing of that, or how serious that would be.' Rashford returns after not kicking a ball for his country since missing his penalty against Italy in the Euro 2020 final shoot-out but having rediscovered his form for Manchester United under current boss Erik ten Hag. 'He's looking more like the player we've seen – I still think he can be more and I hope we can help with that and benefit from that,' added Southgate. The Three Lions boss, 51, claims it would be 'pointless' to set out a target in Qatar but admitted it is a 'totally unique' tournament. Southgate also revealed it is 'not the case' that Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips, who are returning from injury, would definit){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Callum Wilson has been picked in England’s squad for Qatar ahead of Ivan Toney for football reasons alone, according to manager Gareth Southgate.
Newcastle striker Wilson, who has helped his side up to fourth in the Premier League this season with six goals but has not played for the Three Lions since 2019, got the nod above Brentford’s Toney as Southgate unveiled his 26-man squad for the World Cup, which begins in nine days’ time.
However, Toney is believed to have a Football Association charge relating to historical bets he made on football hanging over him. He was named in Southgate’s squad in September but is yet to make his international debut.Southgate (pictured) insists he has ‘not had that conversation’ and that would not have stopped him selecting Toney, who has scored nine goals for his club this term.
‘We think Callum’s just in that really rich vein of form and has been with us a little bit more, been on the pitch with us, we know him a little bit better,’ said the England manager, who has also recalled Marcus Rashford.