Anthony Gordon is under the "most pressure" to retain his place in England's starting lineup ahead of Saturday's final Group L clash against Panama at the World Cup, according to Gary Neville and Roy Keane. The former Newcastle United forward, who joined Barcelona for £71 million earlier this month, has started both of England's opening matches in the United States but struggled to make an impact, particularly in Wednesday's goalless draw against Ghana.
Neville and Keane's Verdict
Reacting to England's performance against Ghana, Neville told The Overlap: "Anthony Gordon, he's probably the one that's under the most pressure now and we all thought he probably wouldn't play today, didn't we? We thought that maybe Marcus (Rashford) would come in or something like that, but he did, he stayed on."
Keane agreed, saying: "Now he'd be under huge pressure. I'll say it again, there's a difference between getting the opportunity then the manager says 'yeah, go for it'. Lads are a bit... it's different."
Neville added: "I think he's under pressure now, yeah. I think he's the one who is going to find it a little bit difficult to keep his spot."
Gordon's World Cup Struggles
Gordon, 25, has failed to find the net or provide an assist in his two appearances so far, with England managing just one goal in their opening match against South Korea. The Three Lions currently sit second in Group L with four points, behind leaders Panama on goal difference. A win against Panama would secure top spot and a potentially easier path in the knockout stages.
With Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, and Phil Foden all vying for wide positions, Gordon's place in the starting XI is far from guaranteed. England manager Gareth Southgate is expected to name his lineup on Friday, with Gordon likely facing a battle to keep his spot.
