5 lesser-known England players who deserve a World Cup opportunity

#2 James Tarkowski

James Tarkowski could pick up his first England caps in the upcoming friendly fixtures

One of the new call-ups in England’s squad for the upcoming friendlies against Holland and Italy, it might seem a little far-fetched to believe that Burnley’s James Tarkowski could force his way into Southgate’s World Cup plans. But is that really the case, when rival central defenders like Gary Cahill, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones have been struggling for form?

The case for Tarkowski is a strong one. He’s only 25 years old, meaning he’s probably just about approaching his prime, and he’s almost been ever-present for the Latics this season, appearing in 23 of their 30 Premier League games. More crucially, Tarkowski has been part of one of the meanest defences in the league – Burnley have conceded just 26 goals; only Tottenham and the Manchester clubs have conceded less.

Forming a formidable partnership with the equally underrated Ben Mee, Tarkowski has received an average rating of 7.35 from WhoScored.com this season, picking up 4 Man of the Match awards in the process. With Tarkowski on the pitch, Burnley have only conceded more than 2 goals once this season – to the all-conquering Manchester City. It all reads impressively.

If he’s capable of shutting out the myriad of world-class attacking talent in the Premier League, then it suggests that he’s more than capable of shutting out the world’s best in Russia, too. Harry Maguire and John Stones have impressed thus far under Southgate, but if Tarkowski – who is also eligible to play for Poland – can impress in these friendlies then he may well book his ticket to the World Cup.