Wednesday 23 March 2016 11:27, UK
Having announced his latest squad for the upcoming friendlies with Germany and the Netherlands, England manager Roy Hodgson opted against making too many bold decisions once more.
Danny Drinkwater is the only player in the initial squad that had not been called up before, while Danny Rose is the only other man in line to make his Three Lions debut.
Both have been rightly rewarded for their commendable displays this season, though there are a number of players that could be forgiven for feeling hard done having not received the call.
Here, with the help of their statistical player ratings, WhoScored.com compile the best 23-man squad of English players to make 10 or more Premier League appearances this season...
With Joe Hart to miss out on the upcoming fixtures over the next week, both Jack Butland and Fraser Forster are expected to be given their chance to impress. It's an opportunity that both have warranted, though it's hard to separate the two.
Indeed, both Forster and Butland have secured an identical rating this season (6.91), with the latter having produced more saves than any other keeper in the Premier League (103).
The Southampton stopper, meanwhile, has kept six clean sheets in just 11 appearances since his return from injury, with a save success rate of 76.9 per cent, enough to rank second only to Petr Cech.
Both are out in front of the absent Hart, who is the third highest rated English keeper in the Premier League back on 6.75, with a significantly inferior save success rate than his two junior counterparts (66.7 per cent).
The fact that Danny Rose has been called up to Hodgson's latest squad is a reward for his efforts this season, with the Spurs left-back the highest rated English defender this season (7.25). His score is marginally better than team-mate Kyle Walker on the opposite flank (7.20), with both players key to Pochettino's intense pressing style.
Rose has been particularly strong going forward, averaging at least one shot, key pass and dribble per game, while Walker has made strides to improve defensively as Tottenham mount a serious title challenge.
Chris Smalling is unsurprisingly the highest rated centre-back (7.19) having come of age this season to become a key figure for United. No outfielder has played a part in more clean sheets from the start (13) and he will surely be the first name on the team sheet at the back for England this summer.
Elsewhere Phil Jagielka (7.15) gets the nod over club-mate John Stones, who misses out along with Gary Cahill to Bournemouth trio Simon Francis (7.14), Steve Cook (7.06) and Charlie Daniels (7.04).
With none of said Cherries having played a single minute of Premier League action before the current campaign, they have eventually settled into the top-flight impressively to help steer the club to safety with room to spare.
Some way out in front as far as midfielders are concerned, Ross Barkley is another to have enjoyed something of a breakthrough season. Criticised for his decision-making and a lack of end product at times, the 22-year old has scored eight goals and registered seven assists for a rating of 7.50 - placing 10th in the league.
Dele Alli is his closest English rival from midfield (7.29) having had a similarly impressive effect in the final third. With seven goals to his name, the teenager also bagged his ninth assist of the campaign at the weekend, and the fact that seven of those have teed up Harry Kane strikes - the most common assist-to-goalscorer combination in Europe's top five leagues - should be in Hodgson's thinking.
Newcomer Danny Drinkwater is third with a score of 7.26 having forged a sensational partnership with N'Golo Kante this season. The 26-year-old, who ranks higher than Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson (7.16), has proven to be a favourite under Ranieri having been somewhat curiously overlooked by Nigel Pearson last season after playing such a crucial role in the Foxes' promotion.
As far as players capable of playing wide are concerned, Michail Antonio and James Milner share the lead with a score of 7.14. Antonio has impressed of late, netting five times since the turn of the year, with his ability to play on either flank a bonus, while Milner has already registered as many assists this season (seven) as in any at Manchester City.
Completing the group of nine, meanwhile, are Marc Albrighton (7.10), Eric Dier and Mark Noble (both 7.07).
Unsurprisingly out in front as far as strikers are concerned, Jamie Vardy (7.53) marginally edges out Harry Kane (7.52) in the ratings, but on current form that looks set to change. The duo have now scored 40 league goals between them, with Kane becoming only the fifth Englishman to score 20 goals in back-to-back Premier League seasons and surely now first in line to lead the charge at the Euros.
With nine goals and six assists after a slow start to the campaign, Troy Deeney ranks third with a rating of 7.27, with the likes of Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge not considered here having started just eight league games between them this season.
Wayne Rooney just makes the grade to fill the last spot as a result, with a modest rating of 6.94 (seven goals, four assists), though the England captain - who misses out through injury this week - must be wary of losing his place given the form of Kane and Vardy this season.
Who do you think deserves a place in England's squad for the European Championships? Leave a comment below if viewing on skysports.com or tweet us @SkyFootball.
