Sky Sports Pundit Tony Cascarino Claims Joe Gomez Is an Upgrade on Manchester City Star

Sky Sports pundit Tony Cascarino has suggested that Joe Gomez is an upgrade on Kyle Walker at centre back for England.
Walker enjoyed a stellar season as a right-wing back with ​Manchester City, but Gareth Southgate thrust him into an unfamiliar role as a part of a back three for England during the World Cup, in order to add some much needed pace to an otherwise sluggish backline.

Despite playing reasonably well in Russia, the 28-year-old was replaced by ​Liverpool's Joe Gomez for the Three Lions Nations League opener against Spain last Saturday, thanks in part to Gomez' superb club form.

Writing in ​The Times, Cascarino agreed with the decision to make the switch and suggested that Gomez may be the missing piece to the puzzle in defence for England.

“Joe Gomez played really well on the right of England’s three-man defence. That position is his to lose now." he suggested.

"He is 21 and will only get better playing centrally alongside Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool this season.

“Kyle Walker did well in that role in the World Cup but Gomez is almost as quick and is better in the air and has better positional sense than Walker, who is best at right back. The Manchester City man’s strengths are in one-on-one situations and flying up and down the right flank.

“It leaves Gareth Southgate with a tough choice at right wing back between Walker and Kieran Trippier but the England manager should not drop Gomez just to get Walker and Trippier in.”

With both Gomez and Trippier being in superb form, it seems as though Walker's path back into the starting XI under Southgate is currently blocked. He may get the chance to start against Switzerland on Tuesday evening, so he'll have to make sure that he is able to impress.