Brighton duo Ben White and Tariq Lamptey can impress Gareth Southgate against Manchester United

Following the 2018 World Cup, Gareth Southgate was lauded as a national icon: it seemed England were finally graced with a manager who could put faith in young players and develop a cohesive team, rather than a group of individuals.

However, whilst some of Southgate’s former troops have improved and matured since the infamous semi-final against Croatia, there are others for which the landscape has changed considerably.

Several World Cup regulars, such as John Stones and Dele Alli for example, have fallen out of favour at their respective clubs and the manager must now decide whether to restore his faith in a similar squad or undergo a significant transformation.

Lewis Dunk, Ben White and Tariq Lamptey all missed out on the most recent Nations League outings, as Southgate opted for his dependable regulars in defence and experimented in midfield and attack.

However, following two lethargic performances against both Iceland and Denmark, England’s boss may enlist a Brighton player in his next squad, considering the Seagulls’ have shown promise at the start of the new campaign.

England deployed a back four against Iceland and a back three against Denmark, but it remains to be seen exactly how Southgate will line up this summer.

With a plethora of attacking full backs at his disposal, Southgate is most likely to opt for three centre halves, as to unlock the attacking potential of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben Chilwell, who have seemingly established themselves as the first-choice options in these wide positions.

Therefore, in this shape, the back three would not only be expected to distribute the ball to the wings accurately, but also demonstrate solidity in defence to guard against counterattacks.

With an extra centre back slot to fight for, the Brighton captain will hope his second international call-up is close.

No English centre back accrued more goals and assists than Dunk in the Premier League last season, and he finished eighth in the league for total passes under Graham Potter’s new progressive, possession-based style.

Standing at 6’4, the threat Dunk offers from set-pieces would also prove a useful commodity for Southgate, especially considering England’s success from dead ball situations at the last major tournament.

Whilst Dunk’s credentials are appealing, he will have to fend off some stiff competition. Southgate is likely to include no more than six centre backs in his final 23-man squad (fewer if he opts for a back four), so the 28-year-old must usurp the likes of Harry Maguire, John Stones, Eric Dier, Conor Coady, Michael Keane, Tyrone Mings and Joe Gomez, who have all appeared at the back for England since the World Cup in 2018.

Ben White’s aspirations of breaking into the England squad will be boosted after his former Leeds teammate, Kalvin Phillips, started against Denmark.

Southgate will undoubtedly have his eye on White as a future international, but the 22-year-old would have to exhibit a faultless season to earn his place in the Euro 2021 squad.

However, with pace and athleticism a defect of England’s defence in recent years, centre backs with mobility have risen in stock, which could play to White’s advantage.

As the long ball game has increased in popularity over the last few seasons, Southgate will need another fast centre back to support Joe Gomez in case of injury or suspension – White was included in the Premier League Team of the Week for his performance against Newcastle, thanks to the way he managed the speed of Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin in particular.

Tariq Lamptey’s ability to create chances from right back has been a revelation for Potter so far this season. The youngster, who made his England under-21 debut earlier this month, impressed in both Brighton’s loss to Chelsea and victory over Newcastle.

Unless Trent Alexander-Arnold migrates into the midfield, which has long been speculated but yet to materialise for either England or Liverpool, Lamptey will have to fight against Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Reece James for the reserve spot, which seems unlikely at this stage.

However, as James and Trippier have both had experience playing on the left side of defence and with Walker having previously operated as part of a back three for Southgate, Lamptey could still be in with an outside chance if he continues to perform for Brighton.

Regardless of whether or not Lamptey is part of his long-term plans, the Three Lions boss should look to include the Brighton youngster in his next Nations League squad.

With the 19-year-old still eligible to represent Ghana internationally, it’s important Southgate gets Lamptey’s first cap under his belt, before he opts to play his football elsewhere.