James Ward-Prowse: Southampton star showed he deserves final England spot at Euro 2020 vs Romania

Marcus Rashford’s penalty proved the difference as England beat Romania 1-0 in their final Euro 2020 warm-up match at the Riverside.

The wisdom of holding two friendlies in the fortnight before the tournament kicks off has been questioned, Gareth Southgate picking an unfamiliar line-up featuring both Ben White and Ben Godfrey – both of whom were axed from his provisional 33-man squad when he whittled it down to 26.

For the two defenders, it was a final chance to convince the Three Lions boss they are worthy of that final spot which has become available courtesy of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s injury.

The same could also be said of James Ward-Prowse, who was already in pole position as the obvious candidate to emulate the Liverpool full-back’s set pieces.

Too often the Southampton midfielder is disregarded as a dead-ball specialist, but his performance at Middlesbrough was a reminder he is capable of offering so much more.

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Pressing high up the pitch to break up Romania’s counter-attacks, the 26-year-old linked up with Jack Grealish to aid England’s transitions and with the Aston Villa playmaker drawing countless fouls, he was teed up to deliver some of his trademark deliveries into the box.

While Southgate’s men didn’t muster their first shot on target until the 37th minute, Ward-Prowse’s own stats were faultless in the first half, completing 100 per cent of his passes and making more chances and tackles than any other player on the pitch.

One free-kick was as close as England got to opening the scoring, though Godfrey could not connect at the other end.

Against Croatia, it will be Harry Kane rather than Dominic Calvert-Lewin who benefits if Ward-Prowse is included and starts, but Southgate would struggle to find a midfielder who possesses such accuracy.

“I think he’s unlucky not to be in the squad fully, waiting on that last place,” Lee Dixon said on ITV commentary.

“Superb delivery from him, obviously Jesse Lingard is another one. I just think going into the tournament, the lack of midfield players England have got. He could have been an option. He might still be – you never know.”

England vs Romania – the stats

  • Sam Johnstone becomes the 1,262nd player to feature for England
  • Marcus Rashford is England’s youngest starting captain since Michael Owen in April 2002
  • Jordan Henderson played his first game in 106 days after coming on in the second half
  • Henderson is one of only seven outfield England players who have earned 50 caps without scoring after missing his spot-kick

England’s midfield was under particular scrutiny with Jordan Henderson starting on the bench but coming on to make his first appearance since 20 February, seeing his penalty saved by Florin Nita in the 78th minute.

It had been suggested prior to his withdrawal through injury that Alexander-Arnold would play as a more conventional midfielder rather than a wing-back, but surely that makes Ward-Prowse’s claims to succeed him even stronger.

The Saints star was eventually replaced with Declan Rice in the 65th minute. By then he had already done more than enough to force his way into Southgate’s thinking.

England must name Alexander-Arnold’s replacement by 11 June prior to the tournament’s first match between Turkey and Italy.

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