Shaw, Lingard and Wan-Bissaka make England stats-based XI

The first international break is upon us and there is genuine intrigue how Gareth Southgate will approach this month's triple header against San Marino, Albania and Poland with Euro 2020 around the corner. Southgate will name his first England squad of the year at 14:00 GMT this afternoon and some old faces are expected to be recalled.

England No.1 Jordan Pickford has been ruled out of all three matches through injury, potentially handing Nick Pope the chance to stake a claim, while Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho is also expected to miss out through injury. The Bundesliga outfit would have likely blocked his inclusion anyway, along with Jude Bellingham, due to international travel restrictions.

Leicester midfielder James Maddison and Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish also face missing out on the squad with their current injury status. With English football brimming with talent, there are going to be some disappointed players over the coming months. But what do the stats say? Based on league starts (5+) in 2021 alone, we can reveal England's best rated XI.

Goalkeeper: Sam Johnstone (West Brom) - 6.85 rating

Sam Johnstone has a real chance of making Southgate's England squad with Jordan Pickford now ruled out for the Three Lions. The 27-year-old has been immense for West Brom this season and is giving the Baggies a fighting chance of beating the drop. Clearly one of the busiest goalkeepers in the Premier League, it's perhaps no surprise he has made the most saves in the division (113) this season. West Brom have tightened up of late, with Johnstone managing three clean sheets in their last five matches.

Right-back: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Man Utd) - 7.26 rating

Aaron Wan-Bissaka continues to make steady improvements at Manchester United but finds himself competing with the likes of Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James and Kieran Trippier at right-back for England. Seemingly no closer to a senior England call-up, Wan-Bissaka is eligible to represent DR Congo and is said to be considering the switch. With a tackle success rate of 88.5% in the league this season, there is no doubt Wan-Bissaka is the best defender of all English full-backs. In fact, no player has managed more tackles and interceptions combined than Wan-Bissaka in the Premier League in 2021 (66). However, there are still concerns over Wan-Bissaka going forward. The United right-back has only managed two assists in the league this season and even that is seen as a huge improvement.

Centre-back: John Stones (Man City) - 7.22 rating

John Stones has completely turned his career around since November and is now England's best centre-back. The Manchester City defender hasn't played for the Three Lions since November 2019 but is certainly in contention to start at Euro 2020 on current form. City have remarkably kept a clean sheet in 14 of his last 17 Premier League starts. In fact, Stones has scored more goals himself (4) than City have conceded (3) in that time. Stones' centre-back partner at City, Ruben Dias, has been credited with helping Stones get back on track so it will be interesting to see how he performs away from Dias and the City bubble.

Centre-back: Lewis Dunk (Brighton) - 7.19 rating

Brighton manager Graham Potter has certainly helped change opinions of Lewis Dunk after implementing a ball-playing philosophy at the club but the 29-year-old's only England cap to date actually came under Chris Hughton. With Joe Gomez unavailable for the Euros and Eric Dier surely in the firing line given his decline this season, there is perhaps a spot open for someone like Dunk to get in. The Brighton captain has a pass success rate of 88.5%, the best return of any player outside the top-half clubs, and has scored three goals in 12 appearances in 2021, having managed only one goal in 13 games during the first half of the campaign.

Left-back: Luke Shaw (Man Utd) - 7.29 rating

Another old face expected back in the England reckoning is Manchester United's Luke Shaw. The 25-year-old hasn't played for England since September 2018 but has completely turned his career around this season under the guidance of United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Southgate isn't completely convinced of Shaw due to his injury record but there is no doubt he is England's best performing left-back at present. With Ben Chilwell in and out of the side and James Justin out for the foreseeable future, Shaw is surely on course to start for England at Euro 2020. Shaw remarkably leads the charts for chances created in the Premier League in 2021 (36). 

Central midfield: Declan Rice (West Ham) - 7.16 rating

Declan Rice is having another superb season for West Ham and it's surely only a matter of time before he makes a high profile move to the likes of Manchester United or Chelsea. The West Ham captain has remarkably played every single minute of Premier League action for the Hammers since the start of last season and will no doubt be the one tasked with anchoring England's midfield this summer.

Central midfield: Mason Mount (Chelsea) - 7.45 rating

Thomas Tuchel's arrival threatened to derail Mason Mount's progress at Chelsea but if anything it has only solidified his importance to the club. Mount has answered the doubters in emphatic fashion this season and appears to be one of the first names on the England team-sheet for Southgate at present. Mount has even won more tackles (28) than best friend Rice (26) in the Premier League since the turn of the year. The Chelsea starlet is not just a hard worker on and off the ball but he is also super intelligent with his movement and ability to find space. Mount has five goals in the league this season, with three of those falling in 2021, but his next task is to find the back of the net more regularly.

Right wing: Raheem Sterling (Man City) - 7.71 rating

Raheem Sterling has dropped out of the first-team picture for Manchester City since turning in his worst performance of the campaign in their 2-0 defeat to Manchester United (5.60 rating) at the start of the month but there is no doubt he remains integral for England. Sterling has played a direct hand in seven goals in 11 league starts in 2021, though would actually miss out on the wing in our XI to Sancho if the Dortmund ace were available.

Attacking midfield: Jesse Lingard (West Ham) - 7.41 rating

Jesse Lingard is a player reborn since leaving boyhood club Manchester United to join West Ham on loan in January. The 28-year-old has played a direct hand in five goals in his first six appearances for the Hammers, scoring four times in that spell, to put himself back on the England radar. Lingard hasn't featured for England since the summer of 2019 but was previously a key player for the Three Lions at the last major tournament under Southgate. Lingard may have left it too late to force an England recall but with Maddison and Grealish injured there could be a spot for him.

Left wing: Phil Foden (Manchester CIty) - 7.94 rating

With Jadon Sancho injured, Phil Foden is the best WhoScored rated player available for Southgate to pick based on league starts in 2021. On current form, Southgate simply has to find a way to get the Manchester City starlet in the side. Foden has remarkably played a dircet hand in 20 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions this season, at least eight more goal involvements than any other Premier League player aged 21 or under.

Striker: Harry Kane (Tottenham) - 7.71 rating

England captain Harry Kane is one of only two England players to have played a direct hand in 10+ league goals in 2021. Southgate will desperately hope the Tottenham striker can stay injury free from now until the Euros as he remains crucial to their chances of success in the summer. In fact, only Robert Lewandowski (39) has scored or assisted more goals than Kane (29) in Europe's top five leagues this season.