12 September 2023 , 11:23
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Aaron Ramsdale is expected to start in goal for England against Scotland on Tuesday - despite Jordan Pickford's good form.
Gareth Southgate will rotate his players for the friendly at Hampden Park, with bragging rights at stake. The Three Lions will be hoping to put a disappointing performance behind them following their 1-1 draw against Ukraine in Poland on Saturday.
Pickford started against Ukraine but is likely to lose his spot to Ramsdale. That would be a huge boost for the latter, who is in serious danger of losing his status as Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper following the arrival of David Raya on loan from Brentford.
Although Southgate must use friendlies to give his other goalkeepers a chance, Pickford would've wanted to start against the Auld Enemy. England vs Scotland is the oldest international fixture in football having first took place in 1872 - 151 years ago.
Speaking after the Ukraine game, Pickford told reporters: "In Russia (at the 2018 World Cup), I was classed as a rookie, really, and then in football you're never going to have that perfect path. You're going to have dips in your career and it's how you learn from them.
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"I feel like it's something I've really worked hard on. I think that's why my performance is consistent and that's why I feel like I'm in the best form of my life."
Yet that form doesn't make him an automatic pick for the England. Kalvin Phillips is also likely to come into the starting XI in place of Jordan Henderson. Both stars were controversially selected by Southgate for this month's internationals, despite Phillips barely playing at Manchester City and Henderson moving to Saudi Arabia.
Gareth Southgate will give Jordan Pickford a rest (Andy Stenning/Daily Mirror)Who do you think should be England's first-choice goalkeeper? Let us know in the comments below!
"For us it is more important that we learn as well as play well," said Southgate. "It’s what can we take from the game. We have got to be strong because they are a good team and we are coming into an environment where you have got to have the personality to play.
"But we do want to find some things out as well. We’re playing a very high level opponent in a very intimidating atmosphere. They are the sort of nights that have been an important part of our progress over six or seven years.
"Some of the guys have experienced that and some haven’t, it’s going to be great to find out more about them. But it’s also a challenge we’ve got to head towards, we have to walk into these challenges and relish them."
As for Scotland, Angus Gunn is expected to start in goal - despite being a former England player. The 27-year-old represented the Three Lions at youth level and was even called up Southgate, but never got on the pitch. He switched his allegiance in March.