Wayne Rooney sends warning to Raheem Sterling World Cup amid Bukayo Saka plea message
It may come down to a direct shoot-out between Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka for a berth in England’s attack with the Premier League about to take a break.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Three players from both Chelsea and Arsenal have been chosen by Gareth Southgate to represent England in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, and Raheem Sterling of Chelsea have all been called up, and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Aaron Ramsdale, and Ben White have all been named.
Despite having the same number of players called up, their domestic performances are at polar different ends of the domestic performance spectrum. Following their victory over Wolves on Saturday, the Gunners now lead the Premier League by five points.
The Blues, meanwhile, are mired in eighth place after losing three straight league games for the first time in seven years. This came as a result of another lackluster effort that saw them fall to Newcastle six days after Mikel Arteta’s team defeated Graham Potter’s team.
Over the next six weeks, the six members of England’s squad who were called up will transition from being Premier League competitors to teammates as Gareth Southgate looks to improve on the Three Lions’ penalty-shootout defeat to Italy in last summer’s European Championship final.
Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden served as Southgate’s wingers for the majority of that tournament, with Saka making some memorable cameos. Saka, on the other hand, has significantly improved since the summer of 2021, while Sterling, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City at the beginning of the season, is having trouble finding his form.
Southgate is a big believer in selecting players who have yet to let him down, and Sterling is certainly one of those after scoring in three different games in the tournament, as evidenced by his inclusion of Harry Maguire, who has hardly played for his club this season, and Man City pair, Kalvin Phillips and Kyle Walker, who are both recovering from long-term injuries.
After his previous England performances, Sterling would probably feel very secure in his position on the England team. It might be much harder to decide given his dismal club form and Saka’s recent tempting performances, as former Manchester United forward and record England scorer Wayne Rooney also believes.
Rooney told The Times, “I played several games with Sterling, and he developed a lot. He developed his tactical skills while working with Pep Guardiola at City, and he has gotten better at straightforward tasks that he may not have been before.
He is speedy and capable of outrunning a player. He can also score and set up goals. He can be an important player for England, as he has demonstrated in the last two competitions.
“However, Saka puts pressure on Sterling. We’ve been talking about guys who aren’t in club form, but he plays fearlessly and has been excellent for Arsenal.
“They’re excellent possibilities for Gareth, and I believe he’ll switch up his lineup in certain games. No one could possibly object, I believe, to whichever option is selected.
On Monday, November 21, England takes on Iran in their World Cup opener.
