Euro 2024 qualifiers: Don’t play them – Sutton warns Southgate against picking 2 England stars against Ukraine

Former Chelsea star, Chris Sutton, has said that it would not be right if England manager, Gareth Southgate, starts Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips in the upcoming international fixtures.

England will play Ukraine in a Euro 2024 qualifier on Saturday before taken on Scotland in a friendly.

Southgate named Harry Maguire and Phillips, who are struggling for form and game time at their clubs over the past year.

Phillips and Maguire were picked ahead of the likes of Raheem Sterling, James Ward-Prowse and Jarrod Bowen.

While Phillips has not been a regular starter for his country, Maguire continues to make the first XI.

“The centre half area is really interesting, but when you have the likes of [Fikayo] Tomori, [Marc] Guehi, Lewis Dunk, [Levi] Colwill… I understand that he’s [Maguire] got to prove himself more,” Sutton told the Daily Mail.

“I do think that they have stronger cases to start for England than Harry Maguire does at this moment in time. You can’t be a training ground player and expect to start for your country, albeit Harry Maguire has never really let England down too badly. 

“I can understand the Maguire thing to a greater extent in terms of Gareth picking him than I can for Kalvin Phillips. But if you’re James Ward-Prowse, he may as well retire now.”