The England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers was announced last week, with many players deserving a spot.
However, there were some picks which were questioned by fans and pundits after poor performances for their respective clubs.
As the England team prepare for their game away to Malta on Friday night, the usual starting XI predictions have emerged, with many of the arguments coming with whether the players which were questioned should get a chance to prove their worth against a Malta side who are not of the same quality.
So, who are the players who need to prove themselves in this international period?
We’ve taken a look.
Joe Hart
Joe Hart’s move to West Ham seemed to be a good one when it was first announced. With the player desperate to play first team Premier League football again, after struggling in the Serie A with Torino, and West Ham needing to sign a new goalkeeper, it looked positive.
However, he has had a torrid start to his Hammers career. Although all of the goals have not been his fault, him and the West Ham defence have conceded 10 goals in three Premier League games against Man United, Southampton and Newcastle.
Despite this start, he still got a call up for the national side and if he can start over Jack Butland against either Malta or Slovakia and impress then that may give him confidence for the rest of the season with the East London side.
Kyle Walker
After completing a £50m move from Tottenham to Manchester City this summer, Walker was heavily in the media spotlight.
He started well for City, starting in their first Premier League game of the season in a 2-0 win away to Brighton but his second appearance, at home to Everton, was cut short due to being sent off.
He is the main English right-back and many will be watching him closely as he looks to redeem himself from the red card as well as live up to his huge price-tag.
Aaron Cresswell
Another West Ham player, Aaron Cresswell has not been the same since his first two season at West Ham after the injury he suffered last summer but he still got an England call up.
Cresswell has made an appearance in all of West Ham’s three games in the Premier League this season, where, like Hart, he and the rest of defence have conceded 10 goals.
Luckily for Cresswell, his only competition for these two games is Ryan Bertrand so game-time is almost guaranteed and he could prove West Ham fans wrong and show the form he showed when he won the Hammer of the Year in 2015.
Danny Welbeck
Danny Welbeck has struggled since joining Arsenal, due to poor performances and injuries but he has started this season fully fit.
His club, Arsenal, have had a very poor start to their season, with disappointing defeats to Stoke and Liverpool.
With England, after Rooney’s international football retirement, the national side are looking for another goal scorer to partner Harry Kane and if Welbeck performs well against Malta or Slovakia then he could be the man to fill his void, as well as drag Arsenal out of their so called “crisis”.