World Cup 2022 in Qatar is closing in. We look at the England squad odds and assess which places are still up for grabs in both the final 26 and the starting XI.
England will be looking to go a step further than the Euros, when they were defeated on penalties in the final at Wembley by Italy, and two steps further than at the last FIFA World Cup in Russia when the Three Lions made an unexpected run to the semi-finals before losing in extra time to Croatia.
But who will be on the plane to Qatar for the first ever winter World Cup?
When is the England World Cup 2022 squad named?
The opening fixture of the World Cup November 20 draws ever closer, and so does the final squad deadline a week earlier on November 13.
Provisional squads of up to 55 started to be named on October 20 but weren't made public so we will only slowly learn who is in those as names leak out, with Crystal Palace midfielder Ebere Eze one example.
Gareth Southgate is expected to name his final England squad on Thursday, November 17.
How many players will be in each World Cup squad?
In keeping with the pandemic-affected European Championship of 2021, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will see teams taking bigger than the traditional 23-man squads, with 26 now the norm.
Who will make England's World Cup squad and what are the odds?
At present, 27 players are odds-on for a spot in Gareth Southgate's final squad.
To make England's 2022 World Cup 26-man squad (odds via Sky Bet)
Goalkeepers:
- Jordan Pickford - 1/33
- Aaron Ramsdale - 1/33
- Nick Pope - 1/33
Defenders:
- Kieran Trippier - 1/33
- John Stones - 1/25
- Luke Shaw - 1/25
- Eric Dier - 1/20
- Harry Maguire - 1/20
- Trent Alexander-Arnold - 1/12
- Ben White - 1/5
- Conor Coady - 2/7
- Kyle Walker - 1/3
- Fikayo Tomori - 1/1
- Marc Guehi - 11/8
- Reece James - 15/8
- James Justin - 9/4
- Ryan Sessegnon - 5/2
- Dan Burn - 3/1
- Joe Gomez - 9/2
Midfielders:
- Bukayo Saka - 1/33
- Declan Rice - 1/33
- Jude Bellingham - 1/33
- Mason Mount - 1/33
- Phil Foden - 1/33
- Jack Grealish - 1/25
- Jordan Henderson - 1/8
- James Maddison - 2/5
- Kalvin Phillips - 4/9
- Ruben Loftus-Cheek - 11/8
- James Ward-Prowse - 5/2
- Harvey Elliott - 13/2
- Conor Gallagher - 15/2
Forwards:
- Harry Kane - 1/33
- Raheem Sterling - 1/33
- Marcus Rashford - 1/20
- Ivan Toney - 4/11
- Tammy Abraham - 8/15
- Callum Wilson - 8/11
- Jadon Sancho - 7/4
- Jarrod Bowen - 2/1
Only injury will prevent any of the first-choice goalkeepers from making the squad. In fact, their prices continue to shorten thanks to strong club form.
In defence, Kyle Walker's price went into a heavy odds-on after some positive news on the injury front but Ben Chilwell's injury sustained in Chelsea's Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb ruled him out of the tournament and had an immediate impact on the market.
Newcastle's Dan Burn, Leicester's James Justin, and Spurs' Ryan Sessegnon were all cut in sharply as Southgate perhaps looks for left-back cover.
Conor Coady and Ben White also firmed up in price but while Marc Guehi and the injured Reece James are on the drift, Fikayo Tomori has come into evens.
White had already crashed in from 3/1 thanks to a combination of wonderful form with Arsenal, and injuries to Walker and James.
Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez has been the biggest mover. His price shortened from 7/2 to 2/1 after a superb display against Manchester City and was trimmed in to 7/4 as he backed that up with further strong displays. He has since drifted to 9/2 however following a string of poor performances.
In midfield Ruben Loftus-Cheek has bounced around in a similar fashion. From 3/1 to odds-on, to somewhere in between. This has been caused by recent involvement with Chelsea but a failure to really find any kind of form.
What does work in his favour, though, is that he has been utilised both as a central midfielder and at wing-back. A player known to Southgate, Loftus-Cheek featured at the 2018 World Cup in Russia too.
The news that Kalvin Phillips will feature for Manchester City in the Carabao Cup has seen him cut sharply into odds-on. One of the first names on the team sheet at the Euros and in the most recent Nations League campaign before injury hampered his new life at Manchester City, he will hope for Southgate's faith.
James Ward-Prowse has been a regular squad man under Southgate in recent years but is seen as an outsider in terms of pecking order,
James Maddison faces stiff competition for a starting slot but his excellent club form in 2022 appears to have finally paid dividends according to the market.
Now priced at 2/5 (having been as big as 3/1 only a matter of weeks ago) the Leicester playmaker has scored 13 goals and provided nine assists in 29 Premier League games this calendar year - only Harry Kane has more goal involvements among English players.
There have been plenty of recent calls for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher given England's lack of depth when it comes to tenacious box-to-box midfielders but he is on the drift, not helped by Phillips's return to fitness and Maddison's superb form.
In forward areas, Jadon Sancho was 1/3 for months on end but is now as big as 2/1 in places. Team-mate Marcus Rashford's stellar form has seen him shorten into 1/20. Jarrod Bowen has drifted from 6/4 to 2/1.
Ivan Toney, Callum Wilson - was 4/1 before a regular run in the Newcastle side - and Tammy Abraham looks to be battling it out for two places with the now-fit-again Dominic Calvert-Lewin set to miss out.
Who is odds-on to make the England squad?
- Jordan Pickford; Aaron Ramsdale; Nick Pope
- Kieran Trippier; John Stones; Luke Shaw; Eric Dier; Harry Maguire; Trent Alexander-Arnold; Ben White; Conor Coady; Kyle Walker
- Bukayo Saka; Declan Rice; Jude Bellingham; Mason Mount; Phil Foden; Jack Grealish; Jordan Henderson; James Maddison; Kalvin Phillips
- Harry Kane; Raheem Sterling; Marcus Rashford; Ivan Toney; Tammy Abraham; Callum Wilson
Who will start for England at the World Cup and what are the odds?
At present, 13 players are odds-on for a spot in Gareth Southgate's starting XI to face Iran on November 21.
England Starting XI - First World Cup 2022 Game (odds via Sky Bet)
- Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford 1/20
- Defenders: Kieran Trippier 1/16, Eric Dier 1/8, Luke Shaw 1/5, Harry Maguire 2/5, John Stones 8/15
- Midfielders: Declan Rice 1/20, Jude Bellingham 1/16, Mason Mount 1/3, Phil Foden 4/11, Bukayo Saka 8/11
- Forwards: Harry Kane 1/20, Raheem Sterling 1/8
It would appear that there are seven certainties to start England's opening game according to the odds with all of; Jordan Pickford, Eric Dier, Kieran Trippier, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling.
The out-of-favour Harry Maguire is still expected to be named in the XI, with it more likely he gets the nod rather than John Stones - unless both join Dier in a back three.
At left-back, Luke Shaw looks set to be the England left-back again after the injury sustained by Ben Chilwell and his shortening price has seen Bukayo Saka's price drift to 8/11.
Mason Mount, a favourite of Southgate's, is expected to start, as is Phil Foden. In forward positions, captain Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling will take some budging.
Thirteen players odds-on to start fairly reflects England's changeable system, and the few places still seemingly up for grabs.
Odds correct 1500 BST (08/11/22)
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