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Callum Wilson has been one of the integral reasons behind Newcastle’s excellent form so far in the 2022-23 Premier League campaign. The forward has come up with six goals in just nine league outings to significantly increase his chances of rekindling his international career. Wilson has emerged as one of the strong contenders for inclusion into Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad.
The 30-year-old has not featured for the Three Lions since 2019 but few would not pick him on the basis of his current form. England manager Gareth Southgate was in attendance when Wilson came up with two goals in Newcastle’s 4-0 victory over Aston Villa.
English FA Concerned with Wilson’s Injury Streak
The English Football Association have been in touch with Newcastle’s medical department about the status of Wilson and this is seen as a major hint at a potential inclusion when Southgate names his squad on November 10. Such an enquiry would usually be done on players who have made it to the initial 55-man shortlist. From here, Southgate will be trimming the squad to the final size of 26 on November 10.
The players who are on the initial 55-man shortlist will receive text messages informing them about their opportunity to make it to the final list. This can serve as a huge motivation for players in the upcoming weeks. The strong discussions between the England FA and the Newcastle medical department about the player’s fitness levels, training schedule, performance statistics, physical statistics, and workload are expected to be a significant hint that Wilson is more than just to make the numbers in the initial shortlist.
One of the major concerns for England will be the injury record of the 30-year-old. In his three seasons with Newcastle since making the move from Bournemouth, Wilson has frequently been injury problems that have forced him to miss large chunks of a campaign. Even last season, the striker only featured in 18 league appearances and returned a moderate eight goals.
Potential Alternatives for Southgate
One of the strong competitors for Wilson comes in the form of Marcus Rashford, who has had a strong resurgence so far this season. Rashford has been a favourite of Southgate and he also gives the versatility of playing in different positions. Just like Wilson, Rashford has also had a string of injury problems that can prove to be a dampener. Other options for Gareth Southgate would include Tammy Abraham and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Tammy Abraham has been experiencing a difficult campaign with Roma after a strong debut season. The 25-year-old has only been able to get two goals in 12 league appearances this season. Meanwhile, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has also gone through a tough season with Everton only five appearances so far to come up with one goal.
England are one of the few nations to have kept the 55-man list under wraps. The likes of Spain have already revealed the list and one of the conspicuous names to miss out has been Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea. England’s long list includes players who are currently recovering from injuries like Chelsea right back Recce James.
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