At a time when the number of English players playing regularly in the Premier League is falling,
Liverpool stand alone among the top clubs as a team with an English core to the first team. Nathaniel Clyne, Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Adam Lallana make up 4 of the top 7 players sorted by minutes played in the Premier League. All four are integral to Jurgen Klopp’s strategy this season; all have played well through the first seven games of the year.
Despite this, none of these players have really become totally established for England. Clyne has to compete with Kyle Walker for time at right back, Lallana has performed well when given the chance but successive managers have leant towards Raheem Sterling, Dele Alli and Jamie Vardy. Milner has been used on and off all over the pitch by England managers through the years, but not with any consistency. Only Henderson really established himself under Roy Hodgson, but it took him a while and he missed fixtures through injury too.
This international break represents a great chance for these players to transfer their club form into permanent spots in Gareth Southgate’s England going forward.