CHRIS SUTTON: Jordan Henderson is rusty and would be a risk

CHRIS SUTTON: Including Jordan Henderson in the Euro 2020 squad would be a big risk by Gareth Southgate while it is hard to ignore starting Jack Grealish after another positive audition against Romania

  • Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the best leaper I’ve seen since Les Ferdinand
  • Jordan Henderson is highly rated but he would be a massive risk this summer
  • Jack Grealish is a tricky customer and passed his latest audition
  • Find out the latest Euro 2020 news including fixtures, live action and results here.

England beat Romania 1-0 in their final warm-up match ahead of their Euro 2020 opener with Croatia on June 13.  

Marcus Rashford scored the only goal of the game from a penalty spot in a largely uneventful game with little riding on it.

However, there were several talking points to come out of the game with Jordan Henderson’s return to the squad and some impressive performances. 

Sportsmail expert Chris Sutton has picked three key points to come out of Sunday’s friendly. 

Marcus Rashford scored the only goal of the game as England beat Romania in a friendly

DOM DEADLY IN THE AIR

Not everyone agrees that Dominic Calvert-Lewin deserved his call-up. Some thought Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins ought to have been included in the 26-man squad, or maybe Patrick Bamford of Leeds. 

But Calvert-Lewin is the greatest leaper since ‘Sir’ Les Ferdinand. The Everton striker can beat anyone in the air.

Before a thigh injury saw him drop out, Gareth Southgate called up Trent Alexander-Arnold who, despite an indifferent season at Liverpool, finished as the player with the most crosses in the Premier League in 2020-21. 

You imagine Southgate thought that Merseyside combination could have come in handy. Alexander-Arnold’s injury was unfortunate, but there remain good crossers, such as Kieran Trippier or Luke Shaw.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin will cause defences serious problems with his great aerial ability

HENDERSON’S A SELECTION RISK 

The last time Jordan Henderson kicked a ball for Liverpool was against Everton on February 20. Yet here he was appearing in an England shirt on the eve of a major tournament. Roy Keane was spot on. 

Speaking on ITV, he said Henderson clearly isn’t fit enough if he can’t start a game against Romania before these Euros. 

You can tell how highly Southgate rates the 30-year-old. But would it be right to use him in this tournament? I’m not so sure. 

There are nations out there who will pounce on any rustiness, and right now, Henderson is as rusty as they come. He represents a risk.

Jordan Henderson is as rusty as they come and would be a massive risk this summer

HARD TO IGNORE GREALISH

There might have been little riding on this game. But from Jack Grealish’s point of view, he had to think of this as an audition to make himself impossible to ignore.

Managers have set players those sorts of challenges in the past: ‘Go out there and show me why I should be starting you.’ 

Grealish did that, making multiple mazy runs and winning the penalty that Marcus Rashford scored. Sheffield United won 293 fouls in the Premier League last season. Grealish won 110 all on his own. 

He’s a tricky customer and so opponents feel like they have no other option than to cut him down. The Aston Villa forward would look at home on either side of Harry Kane, if Southgate decided to use him over Rashford or Phil Foden.

Jack Grealish produced another Man of the Match display in the victory over Romania




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