Gareth Southgate slammed for selecting Manchester United star

TalkSPORT pundit Perry Groves has slammed England manager Gareth Southgate for selecting Jesse Lingard despite his struggles with Manchester United this season.

The Red Devils attacker has failed to contribute a single goal or assist in the Premier League since the turn of the year but he was recently chosen by Southgate for the Three Lions on the basis of his recent efforts with the national side.

Speaking to TalkSPORT, Groves criticised Southgate for reverting from the policy of picking players based on their form for their respective clubs in the Premier League.

He added that Lingard should be nowhere near the national team as he has been struggling for form at the club level under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

"Jesse Lingard should be nowhere near that England squad, nowhere near. He must have bruises all over his body where he’s pinching himself regularly, because he shouldn’t be in the squad," he said.

England are scheduled to face Bulgaria in their third game of the Euro 2020 qualifying phase tonight but Lingard won't play any part in the encounter after being sidelined with an illness.