Gareth Southgate must give a Newcastle player a chance to play for England.

After beating Man United on Sunday, Newcastle climbed to third place in the Premier League table, and pundit Stan Collymore thinks a key contributor to that win should be allowed to play for England by manager Gareth Southgate.

Joe Willock, a midfielder for Newcastle United, scored the game-winning goal for Eddie Howe's squad and regularly found himself in advantageous positions on the field. The 23-year-old could have scored a hat trick if he had just taken a few more shots, but his performance as a whole was impressive.

Willock may have hoped to make a good impression on Gareth Southgate, the manager of the English national team. The 2014 European Championships will be held in Germany next summer, and the former Arsenal star would love to be there.

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In an exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Stan Collymore argues that Southgate should give the midfielder a shot, saying, "England is only about 14 months away from the Euros and the hope is that they'll do very well." Gareth must unlock the St. George's Park door and look in on Joe Willock. Players like Mason Mount and Jack Grealish will always be considered, but we've had trouble in the second half of games, and if we're going to talk about finding the right mix, then we need to see Willock play.

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Willock has been an ever-present in Howe's starting lineup for Newcastle this season, starting all 26 league games for the Magpies while contributing to three goals and four assists.

Since England's midfield depth is lacking, Southgate keeps turning to underperforming players like Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips.

The manager of the Three Lions should consider Willock and the Newcastle star should be given a shot at the international level.


Sophia Ela

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