You can take the man out of Newcastle…
Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has expressed his surprise that two of the club’s current crop failed to make Gareth Southgate’s freshly announced England squad.
On Thursday afternoon, Southgate named four uncapped players in his 27-man squad which will face the Netherlands and Italy on 23 and 27 March respectively.
Swansea defender Alfie Mawson, Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook and Burnley duo James Tarkowski and Nick Pope were included in the squad for the first time.
#eng pic.twitter.com/vZMvpKlFey
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) March 15, 2018
But Shearer was stunned to learn that Magpies captain Jamaal Lascelles was passed over for his first senior call-up despite impressing for Rafa Benitez’s side this season.
Newcastle’s top scorer of all time also couldn’t believe that midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, who already has six caps to his name, wasn’t rewarded with a place in the squad.
Having looked at this squad I’m VERY surprised @Lascelles16 and Shelvey haven’t made it. https://t.co/xKo9NqvISc
— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) March 15, 2018
With the World Cup fast approaching, the upcoming friendlies will be seen as the perfect opportunity for players to prove themselves worthy of a place on the flight to Russia.
And while it’s not too late for either Shelvey or Lascelles to convince Southgate to include the Newcastle pair this summer, it now seems rather unlikely.
The club’s social media team seized the opportunity to troll the England’s manager’s decision with the below tweet.
😍⚫️⚪️ #NUFC pic.twitter.com/qdfGeZ5vBY
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) March 15, 2018
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