"I need someone to tell me a reasonable argument" - Darren Bent shocked by Arsenal star's exclusion from international squad

Arsenal defender Ben White failed to make the cut as England manager Gareth Southgate named his 26-man squad for the upcoming international break. That decision didn't sit well with former Premier League striker Darren Bent, who has argued that the Gunners defender deserves to be on the list.

One surprise move made by Southgate is the inclusion of Harry Maguire in the squad. The Manchester United centre-back has been out of form for quite some time and Darren Bent simply can't fathom how Maguire got the nod ahead of White, who is currently in good form.

Speaking to talkSPORT, the former England forward argued that Ben White deserves a spot in the national team squad ahead of Maguire.

“How can Maguire be in the squad and Ben White not be?" Darren Bent said. “I need someone to tell me a reasonable argument. By trade, Ben White is a centre-half. Maguire’s got no form and he’s not playing,” the Englishman added.

It is worth noting that Harry Maguire has been a bit-part player at Manchester United this season, making a paltry five appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions, with two coming from the bench.

Ben White, on the other hand, has had a more promising outing with Arsenal so far this season. The centre-back has made six appearances for the Gunners in the Premier League since the campaign kicked off, starting all of them and ammassing an impressive 474 minutes of playing time.

Meanwhile, below is Gareth Southgate's full list of selections for the forthcoming UEFA Nations League matches:

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben Chilwell, Conor Coady, Eric Dier, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Fikayo Tomori, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker.

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse.

Forwards: Tammy Abraham, Jarrod Bowen, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling, Ivan Toney.

Maguire's selection is quite questionable.

Arsenal back in action in the Premier League this weekend

After losing to Manchester United 3-1 last time out, Arsenal will be hoping to return to winning ways when the Premier League resumes this weekend. They're scheduled to take on Brentford away from home on Sunday.

As it stands, the Gunners sit at the apex of the table with 12 points from six games so far, just one point above second-placed Manchester City. It remains to be seen if they can maintain their spot in the table come the weekend.