Thomas Frank has no qualms about Gareth Southgate choosing Callum Wilson over Ivan Toney. Many - including Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher - expected the England boss to opt for the Brentford man after an equally-impressive start to the campaign.
Toney has scored eight Premier League goals this season, two more than Toon number nine Wilson. The 26-year-old was even called up for the previous England squad in September but failed to make his international debut.
However, match-winning performances for Newcastle in recent weeks have helped Wilson tip the balance. Southgate watched from the stands as the ex-Bournemouth man scored a superbly-taken brace against Aston Villa a fortnight ago.
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Following the news, Brentford boss Frank insisted Southgate’s England record allows him breathing space when selecting a 26-man squad.
"You can’t find a better striker in form in the country after Harry Kane. It’s impossible. But, hey, life is life,” he told reporters.
“It is about how many hits we can take, stand up and (keep) moving forward. That’s for Gareth or Ivan to tell (why he wasn’t in the squad) as that's a private conversation.
“These coaches do not always make the best decisions, including myself (laughs). All people in the world are biased. I'm biased my way, Gareth is biased his way. Gareth has done an unbelievable job for England - I think he's done fantastically. So we should trust the process and the selection he has been picking.”
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