Gareth Southgate makes Harry Maguire decision for upcoming England squad

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Gareth Southgate makes Harry Maguire decision for upcoming England squad

Harry Maguire is expected to be part of Gareth Southgate's next England squad when the Three Lions boss names his team on Thursday.

Southgate has publicly admitted he will struggle to continue selecting Maguire if the 30-year-old remains out in the cold at Manchester United - a trend which began last season and has continued into the current campaign.

Maguire has not yet played a minute this season, going unused as a substitute in two games and missing a third through a minor injury.

Despite his continued struggle for minutes, numerous reports suggest Maguire is set to retain his spot in Southgate's England squad when it is announced on Thursday.

The Three Lions have a European qualifier against Ukraine to look forward to on Saturday 9 September and a friendly against Scotland three days later.

According to Rob Dorsett, the decision to call up Maguire stems largely from the limited experience available to Southgate after a number of senior players suffered injuries in the early stages of the season.

Manchester City's John Stones and Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings are both unavailable, while Tottenham Hotspur's Eric Dier is yet to make a matchday squad at club level, leaving Southgate without most of his senior charges.

Maguire may see some club action before he departs for England duty, however. United have lost Raphael Varane to injury and so manager Erik ten Hag may be forced to turn to Maguire when the Red Devils face Arsenal on Sunday before the international break.

Also set to feature in the squad is Chelsea's Levi Colwill, who could be handed his first cap. Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi and Brighton & Hove Albion's Lewis Dunk could retain their places from the last squad.