Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher clashed over the Manchester City star's inclusion in the England set-up
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Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher clashed on the latest episode of The Overlap.
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher clashed on the latest episode of The Overlap.
(Image: The Overlap)
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher were both involved in a heated debate regarding Phil Foden's role in the England set-up. The two former England internationals traded insults on the latest episode of [The Overlap](http://The Overlap) as they discussed Thomas Tuchel's start to life as head coach.
Neville asked his fellow pundits whether it was harsh to leave out Foden for England's game against Latvia, with Jill Scott admitting she didn't know what his best position was, with Carragher also questioning where do you play the Man City star.
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Neville put his head in his hands and said: “Oh, no. Where do you play him? Only English people ask that. Only English people ask that about these players.”
“What are you talking about? Where would you play him?,” to which Neville replied: “Oh my god!”
“No, stop saying 'oh my god' for thinking something else!,” Carragher said. “Where would you put him? He’s played every position for England, he hasn’t done it. We all love him, he’s amazing for Man City. He hasn’t done it for England. Stop saying 'oh my god' every time I speak.”
Neville claims Foden was treated like a “used car” in the international set-up England, with Carragher interjecting: “He's not a used car. He got picked before Saka, he was in the England team before Bellingham. Those two grabbed their chance and took it and there's no way they're getting left out, so tell me where he's playing? You've been on the coaching staff so tell me where he's playing.”
Arsenal icon Ian Wright could not resist getting involved shouting: “Louder, louder at the back”.
“What happens with players like Phil Foden because they're more flexible and more versatile, because Bellingham has to play where he plays,” says Neville before Wright interrupts. “How can he be flexible Gary when he's not doing it for England?”
“Exactly, he's not doing it for England,” Carragher says.
“Wrighty what I'm saying, is because he's flexible he does get moved around. You'll play him at number ten, then you'll play him left wing and right-wing and move him around. It happens with players like that.”
“He's lucky they're moving him around,” says Carragher. “If they'd just judged him on one position he wouldn't play or have as many caps. We all love Phil Foden, he's a brilliant player.”
Neville goes on to say that if England were to play with a midfield three, then the City star could play alongside Bellingham, to which Carragher points out they tried that.
The former Liverpool defender tries to get more information out of Neville, who responds abruptly: “Oh my god, you’ve just asked me where I’d play him and I’ve told you where I’d play him. I’ve answered your question!”
Neville goes on to explain that Foden should be considered in the same ilk as Alan Shearer, who struggled on the build-up to tournaments but lead the line for his country, regardless of form. Which drew another spiky response from Carragher, who replied: “What are you talking about? You are talking absolute rubbish.”
Carragher admitted that Foden was the best player in the Premier League last season, Southgate struggled to find a place for him given how well Saka and Bellingham performed for the Three Lions. Neville admits he has a high opinion of Foden and suggests he's Bellingham, which left Wright baffled as he shouted, “What?!”
Neville then draws comparisons between Foden and that of his former United teammate Paul Scholes, who was regularly shifted out wide to make room for Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
Which prompted Neville to pick a system for England’s 2004 'Golden Generation' in a 5-3-2 formation before clapping back at his fellow pundit: “He’s [Carragher] gone f****** quiet, hasn’t he? Because he knows I’m right.”
Carragher then points out that Neville had previously picked a 4-3-3 system, which triggered a hilarious response from the United legend who shouted: “For Foden, you absolute tool!,” which saw Wright burst into laughter.
Roy Keane then suggested that the Golden Generation would have no chance of winning silverware because Neville didn't name a goalkeeper. Neville brought an end to the conversation by looking down the camera and said: “Sorry lads, you didn’t deserve that waking up on your Thursday morning.”