With less than three months until Thomas Tuchel names his final England squad for the World Cup, competition for places is intensifying. The weekend's action provided contrasting fortunes for two of the leading contenders, with Ben White struggling while Cole Palmer impressed.
White endured a torrid evening as Arsenal were beaten at Southampton. The defender was booed by the crowd for no apparent reason, compounding a difficult afternoon in which he was poor in defence and offered little going forward. His recent England outings have also been disappointing, with a poor display against Japan following a mixed performance against Uruguay.
Palmer, meanwhile, captained Chelsea in their quarter-final win over Port Vale and delivered a bright performance. While the level of opposition must be considered, the display suggests he is finding some rhythm. In the battle with Phil Foden for a place in the squad's attacking midfield options, Palmer appears to be edging ahead.
Other contenders also made their case. Marc Guehi continues to impress at Manchester City, having been handed the England captaincy against Japan, while his club team-mate Nico O'Reilly also caught the eye. Foden, however, had another brief outing from the bench for City, managing only 19 minutes, and looks down the pecking order.
Liverpool's Curtis Jones showed some early promise but faded as his side struggled, leaving his World Cup prospects uncertain. With so many positions fiercely contested, Tuchel will be monitoring form closely over the coming weeks.
