Gareth Southgate has been handed an injury blow ahead of the Euros in Germany this summer, with an important squad player now confirmed to miss the tournament through injury.
It has been a rather underwhelming international break for Gareth Southgate and England, with a 1-0 loss to Brazil and an uninspiring 2-2 draw with Belgium concluding the action.
Southgate has faced criticism from fans over some of his selections for the friendlies, with Lewis Dunk's position in the team coming under particular scrutiny while uncapped 21-year-old Jarrad Branthwaite failed to get minutes.
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However, despite it seeming Southgate has some on-field issues to manage, the England manager has also had one of his backup goalkeepers ruled out of the tournament through injury.
It has been confirmed that Sam Johnstone will miss four months after undergoing surgery following an injury sustained in England training.
Johnstone has been in the squad for major tournaments before, having been selected for the 2021 Euros but missed out on a seat on the plane to Qatar.
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Johnstone has four caps for England and his form for Crystal Palace has earned him a place in Southgate's squads on a consistent basis as of late.
While Jordan Pickford is nailed on to play every minute for England at the Euros, the role of the two back-ups shouldn't be overlooked particularly at tournaments where comradery is key.
Given the news of Johnstone's injury, Burnley's standout player James Trafford may now be poised to earn a permanent call-up to Southgate's squad.
Meanwhile, Jack Butland has been in excellent form this season for SPL side Rangers and was originally expected to be named in the squad ahead of the international break.
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Additionally, Dean Henderson will have an opportunity to showcase his talents, as the former Manchester United goalkeeper is set to replace Johnstone in goal for Crystal Palace.
With Nick Pope currently out injured and Aaron Ramsdale holding the water bottles at Arsenal, it is important England select the right names to backup Pickford in case the Everton goalkeeper picks up a knock himself.
Topics: England, Gareth Southgate, Jordan Pickford, Crystal Palace
Tom Jenkins