National media criticise England boss for name-dropping ex-Leeds United Kalvin Phillips after squad snub

The England boss faced questions after the team's dull 1-1 draw against Denmark on Thursday evening which saw the Three Lions go top of their group but in uninspiring fashion. Harry Kane's early opener was cancelled out by Morten Hjulmand's long-range effort which cannoned in via the woodwork, after which England struggled to create any real opportunities of note.

Southgate persisted with his 'experiment' in midfield, deploying Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold alongside Declan Rice, however the strategy which didn't quite hit all the right notes against Serbia, was abandoned after 53 minutes.

"We don't have a natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips," Southgate opined in a post-match interview. "We're trying some different things and at the moment we're not flowing as we'd like, that's for sure."

Inside the tournament punditry studio, former Arsenal striker Wright said: "Listening to Gareth, he mentioned about Kalvin Phillips and he's the only one in the country who can play that role, I don't believe that. I believe Adam Wharton can play it. I think Kobbie Mainoo can play it as well. You've picked them.

"Now we're in a situation where it's not desperation because we've got four points, but we're in a place where we need something different, we need to change something."

Phillips' international breakthrough came at the last European Championships whilst still a Leeds player, putting in a Man of the Match performance against Croatia in England's group stage opener at Wembley, where he set up the winner for Raheem Sterling, en route to the final where Italy emerged victorious.

His subsequent £42 million transfer to Manchester City has not yielded the career progression the holding midfielder would have hoped for and his lack of minutes for Pep Guardiola's side has consequently cost him a place in Southgate's squad.

"It's either Kobbie [Mainoo] or Wharton, but I'd probably put Wharton in there simply because he's the closest I've seen to Fabian Ruiz. When I've seen him in the last few games for Palace at the end of the season, his calmness. He's calm, he's got a pass. He's a very intelligent player and he's somebody that wouldn't panic in this situation. He's been picked in the squad," Wright added, offering Southgate a solution to his Phillips claim.

England's final group game against Slovenia takes place on Tuesday, June 25 at 8pm.