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#3 Chris Smalling
Smalling had taken on the mantle of the enforcer at the heart of the Reds’ defence and was even voted as their Player of the Year for 2015/16. He hasn't given his best this season, yet he has been very instrumental at the heart of a Premier League defence which only conceded 28 goals.
He was the best player on the pitch during the FA Cup final against Chelsea where he was exceptional in marking Giroud. He did even better against the England Captain Harry Kane when Spurs and United collided in the FA Cup semi-final.
But Gareth Southgate made it clear that the defender was not in his immediate plans and suggested that he lacked the requisite skills to be part of his squad to Russia.
With Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones, Ashley Young and Marcus Rashford making the cut, Smalling was unfairly overlooked by Southgate, given that Gary Cahill was picked even though he had a terrible season. Given his recent performances, it is hard not to think that Southgate has made a huge blunder in dropping Smalling.
