5 Players who might not make England's World Cup Squad

Picking a 23-man squad for the World Cup is a tricky situation for every national team manager. However, the England manager's job is arguably the most scrutinised job in world football. Former England international and U-21 manager, Gareth Southgate, replaced Sam Allardyce as the Three Lions boss in late 2016.

England manager and former Middlesbrough defender Gareth Southgate is going to face a difficult task to select his 23 man squad for the World Cup. The manager has a lot of options to choose from, which is regarded healthy before a world cup, although the process of elimination could leave a few players heartbroken.

The competition for places in every position will create a headache for the manager, who will have to sort out a squad of 23, based on their club performances and value added to the national team.

Here we take look at five players who might not make the England World squad.

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#5 Michael Keane

Keane celebrates a goal for Everton

Everton's signing from Burnley, Michael Keane had a stellar campaign last time out with the Clarets that saw him win his first cap for England. Before the start of the season, the player opted for a move to Everton to develop his career. The former Manchester United player, now aged 24 has struggled to adapt to his new surroundings in his first season.

With the World Cup fast approaching, added to the fact that the competition for places in the central defensive position is palpable, the young defender might miss out on the national team squad.

With the likes of Cahill, Jones, Smalling, Stones, Dier, Maguire and Gomez who can all play in the position and are having relatively good club seasons thus far, Keane will probably have to wait to make his first tournament squad.

Keane has made four appearances for England under Gareth Southgate but the young defender is a definite future England tournament player.

#4 Jake Livermore

Livermore likely to miss out on WC squad

England international and West Bromwich Albion (WBA) holding midfielder, Jake Livermore made his debut in 2012 for the country and was recalled in 2017, by current manager Gareth Southgate after a five-year hiatus. Since his move to move WBA in January 2017, Livermore has produced some sensational performances for the club.

However, WBA and the former Spurs man Livermore is in a bit of a rut, as a run of defeats and poor displays saw Tony Pulis sacked as West Brom boss. With the likes of Henderson, Dier, Lallana, Drinkwater, Winks, Wilshere, Delph and Oxlade-Chamberlain, all in contention for a spot in the World Cup squad, Livermore could miss out.

A smart, strong, technical passer in the middle of the park, Livermore might get overlooked by versatile players who could operate in his position. Managers have a bittersweet task selecting their squads because of the wealth of talent at their disposal.

Livermore has made seven appearances for England and despite his recent call-ups, he looks set to miss out on Russia 2018 largely due to the versatility of players the manager could opt to choose ahead of him.

#3 Ross Barkley

Barkley is on his way out of Everton

The forgotten man at Everton, Ross Barkley, has been under the radar for the first half of the Premier League season and Everton's new manager Sam Allardyce has claimed Barkley is on his way out of the club in January.

After missing the first half of the season, before a World Cup, Barkley will need to make an astonishing return with spellbinding performances for the club he moves to in January. However, Gareth Southgate was clear with his message on requirements to make the squad for the World Cup, and rule one was adequate game time.

A powerful force in midfield, Barkley had a poor season, last season and is likely to miss out on the squad given his lack of appearances this season. With the likes of Sterling, Alli, Lallana, Rashford, Lingard and Antonio to compete with, Southgate is likely to overlook Ross Barkley.

Despite having made 22 appearances for his country, the Englishman will have to watch the World Cup from the stands.

#2 Luke Shaw

Shaw has failed to make a single PL appearance Manchester United this season

Manchester United and England defender Luke Shaw has not featured so far for Jose Mourinho in the Premier League, despite being fit. In what can only be considered as poor form and a stiff learning curve, the 23-year-old Englishman Shaw might miss the World Cup squad because he's not had any game time.

With just more than half a season to go, Shaw will need to make a lasting impact in the last six months, in the lead up to the World Cup. Gareth Southgate has a fine selection of options to choose from at left back with Rose, Baines, Bertrand, Cresswell, Chilwell all pushing for a spot.

Also with Young and Delph putting in great shifts at left back for their respective clubs, the manager could opt to deploy a versatile option down the flank. As for Shaw, this could be all but the end as the player will need to rise and over perform above all these players to make the squad. An unlikely rise, although the player did make the 2014 World Cup squad, looks likely to miss out on the Russia tournament.

#1 Jack Wilshere

Wilshere will be determined to make the WC squad

England and Arsenal central midfielder, Jack Wilshere has played a grand total of 65 minutes in the Premier League so far this campaign across four games as a substitute. The Englishman has made a couple of appearances in the Europa league for Arsenal and has impressed but it might not be enough to make the squad.

Unless Wilshere gets more game time and produces consistent displays whilst staying fit, Gareth Southgate might opt to leave the player out. An experienced England international, the 25-year-old has made 34 appearances for his country is a key asset when in the squad.

However, with more consistent players putting in the shift every week, Wilshere will need to produce both quality and quantity in a short space of time to impress Gareth Southgate enough to make the 23 man squad.

The Arsenal playmaker is probably the best central English midfielder but will need to make consistent quality appearances, to stake his claim in the long list of midfielders vying for a spot in England's team.