3 England players Southgate should start against Spain

England welcome 2010 FIFA World Cup champions and Euro 2012 winners Spain to Wembley Stadium on Tuesday night to draw a close to their final international break of the calendar year.

After defeating rivals Scotland 3-0 at the national stadium on Friday evening, Gareth Southgate preserved his unbeaten run as Three Lions interim manager, having beaten Malta 2-0, drawn against Slovenia and fending off the Scots last week.

The likes of Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge all impressed against Gordon Strachan’s visitors last week, but Southgate could look to shuffle around England’s starting XI against The Red Fury considering it is only an international fixture, with Tom Heaton, Ryan Bertrand, Jesse Lingard, Andros Townsend, Jack Wilshere, Jamie Vardy and Marcus Rashford surely desperate to add to their individual international caps.

So in the 46-year-old’s final game in interim charge on Tuesday, Shoot! highlights three players that the former Middlesbrough and England Under-21 boss should start against the Spaniards.

Theo Walcott

Although the Arsenal ace could be excused from the England camp given his wife is due to give birth to their second child at anytime, if she doesn’t pop before kick-off, Walcott should be unleashed on Spain.

The 27-year-old has impressively scored eight goals in 12 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners so far this season.

Granted; he didn’t have much of an influence against Malta or Slovenia in his last two Three Lions appearances, but given his domestic form, Southgate could replace Raheem Sterling with the Arsenal forward.

Tom Heaton

With Fraser Forster ruled out through injury, having withdrawn from the squad, Southgate should look to give Tom Heaton what will be a thoroughly deserved second international cap for England.

The 30-year-old has been in tremendous form for newly promoted Burnley in the Premier League so far this term, demonstrated by the goalkeeper’s heroics in the Clarets’ goalless draw at Old Trafford against Manchester United late last month.

Having helped Burnley register seven points from a possible nine on offer in their last three league outings, Heaton should be given the opportunity to snuff out the Spaniards tonight.

Marcus Rashford

Daniel Sturridge has arguably come and done what he needed to do during this international break, given the absence of Harry Kane, score and slay the Scots. So, let’s give Rashford a chance to lead the line against The Red Fury.

Liverpool forward Sturridge tucked away a beautiful header to break the deadlock last Friday, but given Tuesday’s clash is only an international fixture, Southgate may look to hand Sturridge a substitute run out, whilst unleashing 19-year-old Rashford on the visitors.

Despite being an ‘unknown’ this time last year, for club and country, the Manchester United sensation has enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom; netting twice on his Red Devils debut in the Europa League, becoming the Three Lions’ youngest ever goalscoring debutant and flying out to Euro 2016 with England this summer.

With four goals in 14 games in all competitions so far for United, Rashford could grab another England goal to wrap up his phenomenal year on the international scene tonight.