Gareth Southgate identifies what sets Winks apart from the rest

England continued their brilliant run in the Euro 2020 qualifiers with a 7-0 thumping of Montenegro on Thursday evening at Wembley.

Spurs striker Harry Kane netted a hattrick in the match thus moving to sixth place in England’s all-time highest goalscorer list.

Harry Winks also joined Kane in the starting line up and put in a typically assured and competent display. This was the first time the Spurs midfielder has started two back to back games for England.

Ahead of the game, England manager Gareth Southgate raved about the 23-year-old and insisted that he was different from any other player in his position across the whole country.

He claimed that the Spurs man’s ability to retain possession in tight spaces was a huge asset to the side.

Speaking to Sky Sports News (13/11/2019 at 4:40 pm), “He’s a different type of midfield player to someone like Declan or an Eric Dier, who have played in that single pivot for us before.

“He’s probably as good as anybody in the country at receiving [the ball whilst being] tightly marked. Awareness of pressure.

“A lot of the pivots that play in England are converted centre-backs. He is somebody who has learned his trade as a midfield player from when he was very young, so he’s a different type.”

However, Southgate did reveal his concern about Winks losing his place in the Tottenham team in recent weeks.

He added, “At the time, he’s not in Tottenham’s team, so that’s not perfect for us, but I’m sure he’ll work his way back into that and I think the way that he played in Bulgaria, I think that’s what he’s capable of.

“He moves the ball quickly and his speed of moving the ball, especially against opponents who are going to be hard to break down.”

Spurs Web Opinion

England have two fantastic options for the midfield pivot position in Winks and Declan Rice. While Rice probably offers more defensively, Winks is better in possession of the ball and has the ability to help the team play out from the back. I expect the Spurs midfielder to make the spot his own going into the Euros.

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