John Stones DROPPED by England manager Gareth Southgate with Harry Maguire and Joe Gomez paired at centre back for Nations League third-place play-off after horror semi-final
- England will start without John Stones in Sunday’s Nations League play-off
- Stones was at fault for Holland’s second goal as England lost in the semi-finals
- Joe Gomez and Harry Maguire play with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Danny Rose
John Stones has been dropped by England manager Gareth Southgate for Sunday’s Nations League third-place play-off against Switzerland.
Stones, who was at fault for Holland’s first two goals and played a part in their third in Thursday’s 3-1 extra-time semi-final defeat, will be replaced by Liverpool defender Joe Gomez.
Gomez will line up alongside Harry Maguire at centre back for the clash.
Gareth Southgate has dropped John Stones from his England side to face Switzerland
Stones struggled and toiled in Thursday’s Nations League semi-final defeat by Holland
Champions League winner Trent Alexander-Arnold gets his big England chance, in place of Kyle Walker at right back, while Tottenham’s Danny Rose will start on the left side of defence.
Stones allowed Matthijs de Ligt to equalise on Thursday as he lost the Ajax defender from a corner.
He was then caught idling with the ball at his feet by Memphis Depay, which led to Kyle Walker turning the ball into his own net.
A mix-up between the Manchester City man and Ross Barkley saw Holland snatch a third and wrap up a place in the final.
Joe Gomez has been selected to replace Stones in Southgate’s defence on Sunday
The 25-year-old had been backed by Southgate following his errors but the manager has dropped him.
‘He knows that I am here to support him, I know he is going to get criticism, and he’s had a difficult end to the season in that he was not playing regularly at his club,’ Southgate said after the game.
‘But we still think he has been our best centre back, has huge qualities and huge potential to be a top player.
‘He has had so little football at the end of the season that the sharpness and fatigue as the game wore on were definitely factors in what has happened tonight.
‘But Joe (Gomez) was with us (only from) two days ago, hasn’t played either, and Michael Keane hasn’t played in this sort of a game, so I think Stones and Maguire are our best two, and I have got to be there to support in their difficult moments.’
Memphis Depay skips past Stones on a bad night for the England and Manchester City star