England World Cup 2022 squad odds: Who will make Gareth Southgate's 26?
For England's final two Nations League group matches this month, Gareth Southgate named a 28-man squad - a collective that will need to be trimmed by two before the World Cup opener against Iran on November 21.
Unlike previous World Cups, where 23-man squads have been the norm, FIFA has approved three extra places per national team for this year's tournament.
While this makes it easier to predict the majority of the make-up of Southgate's group that will travel to the Gulf state, there are still several spots potentially up in the air.
Who will be England's goalkeeper at the World Cup?
Jordan Pickford's thigh injury, an issue that has resulted in him missing the final two Nations League group games, has perhaps made this a more interesting market than it might otherwise have been.
By all reports, there's no reason to expect he will not be fit for Qatar. And, if fit, he will be first choice. The market interest has always surrounded his understudies.
Hopefully, Sporting Life readers jumped on the 11/10 available on Aaron Ramsdale to make the cut when we pointed out the generosity of the odds almost a year ago - the Arsenal stopper is now an unbackable, yet virtually certain, 1/16.
To make England's 2022 World Cup 26-man squad - Goalkeepers (via Sky Bet)
- 1/20 - Jordan Pickford
- 1/16 - Aaron Ramsdale
- 1/4 - Nick Pope
- 11/4 - Dean Henderson
- 20/1 - Sam Johnstone
Third choice is clearly between Nick Pope and Dean Henderson. The Newcastle man is the clear favourite of the two at 1/4. Nottingham Forest loanee Henderson, meanwhile, is 11/4, an attractive price at first glance given his recent inclusion.
Henderson, though, is very much fourth pick. It would take an unfathomable loss in form from Ramsdale or Pope, or serious injury to either of those two or Pickford, for Henderson to jump the queue.
The status quo should prevail.
Who will start in defence for England at the World Cup?
For England's most recent squad, Southgate selected 12 defensive players, out of 28, equating to around 43%. Given his tactics have hardly swayed the notion he is a safety-first coach, this area should theoretically provide the best value for punters.
There are seven players - John Stones, Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, Kieran Trippier, Reece James, Ben Chilwell and Trent Alexander-Arnold - all at understandably unbackable prices ranging from 1/10 to 1/6.
They will surely all make the squad but offer no value given there are a number of Premier League games to negotiate between now and the time of Southgate's final selection, thus presenting injury concerns no odds-on backer should want.
It is therefore the odds on offer for the next few in the market that should interest although I have to ignore the short 2/5 on Eric Dier, who has only just earned a recall after two years in the international wilderness.
To make England's 2022 World Cup 26-man squad - Defenders (via Sky Bet)
- 1/10 - John Stones, Kyle Walker, Reece James
- 1/8 - Harry Maguire, Kieran Trippier
- 1/6 - Ben Chilwell, Trent Alexander-Arnold
- 2/5 - Eric Dier
- 4/6 - Fikayo Tomori
- 8/11 - Conor Coady
- 4/5 - Luke Shaw
- 11/10 - Marc Guehi
- 11/8 - Ben White
- 4/1 - James Justin, Ryan Sessegnon
- 6/1 - Joe Gomez
- 8/1 - Chris Smalling
- 10/1 - Tyrone Mings
Again, we hope readers pounced on the 4/1 on Southgate stalwart Conor Coady a year ago (now 8/11 after a loan switch to Everton) while AC Milan's Fikayo Tomori (4/6), Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi (11/10) and Arsenal's Ben White (11/8) will have backers after recent involvements.
Tyrone Mings, at 10/1, seems to have dropped out of favour at just the wrong time.
But the standout price simply has to be the 4/5 about LUKE SHAW TO MAKE THE ENGLAND WORLD CUP SQUAD.
England do not have many left-backs to choose from and the Manchester United man was a Euro 2020 mainstay, scoring, of course, in the final against Italy. He's fit again, after missing the start of the season, and if he stays fit, Shaw is a shoo-in.
He's a Southgate favourite and, after playing just a handful of times in the past five months, Shaw will be fresh too.
Who will start in midfield for England at the World Cup?
If the back-line offers value, then the midfield positions, quite simply, do not.
The six players - Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish - virtually assured of being on the plane are priced as such.
Next up in the markets are injury-hit Kalvin Phillips and injury-prone Jordan Henderson, both tough to back at well odds-on. Even fringe player James Ward-Prowse is well short of even money.
Nothing James Maddison does for Leicester seems to convince Southgate he's worthy of a recall while Conor Gallagher's recent red card and change of manager at Chelsea leave his chances up in the air, and slim at best.
Everton's Anthony Gordon is the possible wildcard should he continue his improvement but even then history suggests Southgate is not the kind of manager to hand an uncapped player a shock tournament berth.
To make England's 2022 World Cup 26-man squad - Midfielders (via Sky Bet)
- 1/20 - Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Phil Foden
- 1/10 - Jack Grealish
- 1/4 - Kalvin Phillips
- 1/3 - Jordan Henderson
- 8/11 - James Ward-Prowse
- 13/8 - James Maddison
- 9/4 - Harvey Elliott
- 7/2 - Conor Gallagher
- 8/1 - Anthony Gordon
Who will start up front for England at the World Cup?
Harry Kane might as well be 1/200 as 1/20, and Raheem Sterling is a lock too - but after that?
The lack of certainty and, dare we say it, options means the third favourite for a forward berth in England's squad is a man only just called up for the first time for international duty, Brentford's Ivan Toney.
Manchester United duo Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford have begun the domestic season well but neither have been involved in an England squad for almost a year now. Would you want to risk your money on either?
To make England's 2022 World Cup 26-man squad - Forwards (via Sky Bet)
- 1/20 - Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling
- 1/3 - Ivan Toney
- 2/5 - Jadon Sancho
- 4/6 - Marcus Rashford, Tammy Abraham
- Evs - Jarrod Bowen
- 10/1 - Callum Wilson
- 12/1 - Dominic Calvert-Lewin
- 20/1 - Ollie Watkins, Patrick Bamford
Jarrod Bowen, meanwhile, has endured an underwhelming start to the campaign at West Ham, and you have to say the only constant on the list below, in terms of fitness, regular starts, goals and selections under Southgate is Roma's Tammy Abraham.
The price of 4/6 might not leap out at first glance but considering all of the above, and the dearth of other avenues, Abraham is as likely as any of the non-certainties to make the plane.
Odds correct at 17:00 BST (25/09/22)
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