It is St George’s Day, so we thought we would embrace the concept of national pride by judging the best all-English XI in the Premier League.
This is how Spurs might line up with English-only players. In this article, loan players will be available for selection for their parent club only.
It is a League Cup side really, with some extra quality up top. But you may be surprised how well this compares across the rest of the division.
Here are the top five:
1.Burnley: Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Lennon, Westwood, Cork, McNeill; Barnes, Rodriguez
This is 9/11 of the starting XI Sean Dyche picks pretty much every week and they are 10th in the table. Clear winners.
2. Manchester United: Henderson; Wan Bissaka, Maguire, Smalling, Shaw; Tuanzebe, Garner; Gomes, Lingard, Rashford; Greenwood
A good Premier League back five and an exciting front pair but a midfield that would make Roy Keane crimson with anger.
3. Tottenham – see above
Kane and Dele are obviously massive here as otherwise we’d be a non-factor. The rest of the side is bang average but is at least well balanced with players in their best positions all the way.
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4. Leicester: Bosworth; Albrighton, Justin, Hughes, Chilwell; Choudhury, James, Maddison; Barnes, Gray, Vardy
Excellent from midfield upwards but the back five consists of two unknown teenagers, a winger at full-back and a full-back at centre-half. Would concede plenty but score a fair amount too.
5. Liverpool: Lonergan; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Phillips, Clyne; Milner, Henderson, Lallana; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Elliot, Brewster
The opposite to Leicester; pretty good through defence and midfield but not much proven firepower up top. Who is Trent going to assist here?
I thought Sheffield United might win this, and they would if it was a Home Nations XI. But take Enda Stevens, John Fleck, Oli Norwood and David McGoldrick out, as well as Dean Henderson, and they fall short.
Honourable mention to Bournemouth too, who’d have been shoe-ins last year but are difficult to pick when their heavily English team may go down.
