Jamie Carragher has questioned Gareth Southgate's use of 'special talent' Phil Foden and compared his England troubles to that of John Barnes.
Foden is yet to start for England in the World Cup and has racked up just 19 minutes off the bench between the opening two matches. Southgate has been widely criticised for his decision to keep the Manchester City star on the bench during last night's 0-0 draw against the USA - a tight game that was calling out for a player that profile and quality. The Three Lions were for the most part inferior to their American opponents, and a failure to introduce game-changing substitutions when such quality is on the bench has once again infuriated critics.
The winger's lack of influence in the England squad is particularly strange given his domestic form. Foden has seven goals and three assists in 14 Premier League games and has arguably been the best English player so far this season. Writing in his column for the Telegraph, former Liverpool captain Carragher believes it was 'strange' of Southgate to turn to his bench and not back Foden to make an impact.
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"If you had told me before the tournament that Foden would only feature for 19 minutes of the first two World Cup games, my initial thought would be he must be injured," Carragher wrote.
"When asked to select my starting XI for the opening fixture against Iran, Foden was in it. The more the squad was studied, the harder it was to leave him out. He is too much of a special talent.
"Speak to any football supporter watching the Premier League over the last three years and ask ‘who is the most naturally gifted English footballer today?’ and 80 per cent would say Foden. The other 20 per cent are not watching closely enough.
"For Southgate to turn to his substitutes and opt for his City team-mate Jack Grealish ahead of him felt strange. Would Pep Guardiola look to Grealish before Foden if seeking a winning goal? Highly unlikely."
While Foden is up their with the most talented players in the country, his form in an England shirt has been some way short of that in sky blue. The winger failed to make much of an impact off the bench during the run to the Euro 2020 finals and failed to score in seven World Cup qualifiers.
And Carragher has drawn on another example of England not getting the best out of their most exciting talents, recalling the failure of John Barnes in replicating his scintillating Liverpool shows for the Three Lions.
"Foden has had plenty of opportunities for England, so it is not as if Southgate has ignored him," Carragher continued. "But although it is very early in his career, there have been times watching Foden playing for his country when his situation has reminded me of John Barnes in his heyday.
"For those too young to remember, between 1987-91, Barnes was not only the most talented England player of his generation, he was streets ahead of the rest. Think of Thierry Henry during his peak years at Arsenal. That is how good Barnes was for Liverpool.
"Yet for England, he was a shadow of himself.
"The question was often asked whether the problem was Barnes or England. Surely it cannot be so difficult to accommodate a rare talent?
"It is imperative history does not repeat itself with Foden."
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