Gareth Southgate in defiant mood over his England defensive choices

Gareth Southgate is digging his heels in over his England defensive choices despite serious questions being raised following their recent woes at the back.

England were demoted from the Nations League top tier, and they completed their dismal campaign with a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Germany earlier this week.

There was certainly cause for concern over Harry Maguire’s display, as the centre-back was at fault for two of Germany’s goals at Wembley, and Maguire has often been on the receiving end of hostile criticism from the fans.

England are currently in the midst of a six-game winless streak, and it is their longest sequence of matches in 29 years without recording a victory. It is hardly the ideal preparation or backdrop for the World Cup, which is less than two months away.

But Maguire and Luke Shaw, who both recently relinquished their starting berths for Manchester United, are supposedly undisputed choices at the back for England. This is despite Trent Alexander-Arnold being jettisoned from the squad for his recent loss of form with Liverpool.

While the inclusion of Maguire has been baffling for fans to get their heads around, Southgate is adamant that he won’t dispense with his best players.

When asked for his thoughts about keeping faith in Shaw and Maguire, Southgate struck a defiant tone

He said: “That’s always going to be a challenge, especially with how much football they’ve had.

“I know everyone will focus on Harry, but there were some very important moments Harry delivered during the two matches.

“Luke was another example of someone who is an outstanding footballer, so what do we do? Not pick Luke Shaw because he’s not playing enough football or do we pick a player who can do what you saw tonight?

“That’s always going to raise debate, but I think in these moments, we’ve got to back our best and our most experienced players, unless we’re in a situation where it’s almost untenable and impossible to pick them.”

While it may seem like England are working their way through a crisis, and have plenty of areas to work on, it is hoped things will be calmer when the World Cup rolls around. Southgate won’t be ready to push the panic button just yet, and judging by the latest odds available at the best international bookmakers for FIFA World Cup betting, they haven’t been deterred.

A cursory glance at Unibet Australia, for example, shows that England are still holding some sway in the outright market. Currently, they are available at 17/2 with the bookmaker and they appear to be well priced, however, their odds could shorten further before the tournament gets underway. With England, expectation levels always soar given they haven’t lifted the World Cup since 1966.

Of course, there will be reason for concern at the back from all quarters. But Southgate will weigh up some crucial decisions before submitting his final 26-man squad, which he could deliver well ahead of the November 13 deadline. Whether Maguire and Shaw can win around the dissenting voices expressed by England supporters is another thing entirely.