Southampton: Alex McCarthy to make England debut vs USA
By Marc Walker
Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy is expected to make his long-awaited England debut at Wembley against the USA tomorrow.
According to a report from the Mirror’s Chief Football writer John Cross, the Saints shot-stopper will receive his first senior cap and will come on at half-time of the friendly.
McCarthy has been made to wait for his international debut after making a number of squads in the past and it has been earned by his excellent form in the past year for Saints.
The report also states that Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson and Brighton defender Lewis Dunk will also make their bows on the international stage in what could prove to be an experimental team from Gareth Southgate.
Tomorrow’s game will also see Wayne Rooney return to the international set-up to make his final England appearance, with the fixture named the Wayne Rooney Foundation international and raising funds for the 33-year-old’s charity.
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Last season saw McCarthy really claim the number 1 shirt as his own at St Mary’s and his performance levels only grew after his first start in December.
The poor form of Fraser Forster gave him an opportunity but the 28-year-old became one of the main factors in the team’s successful battle against relegation.
Another season of struggle looks to be on the cards and with Saints currently sitting in 17th position in the Premier League table, McCarthy has been one of the busiest keepers in the top-flight so far.
He has made the fifth-most saves in the division with 40 in his first 12 games, and this sees him sit behind Manchester United’s David De Gea, Brighton’s Mat Ryan, West Ham’s Lukasz Fabianski and Burnley’s Joe Hart.
However, this pressure on his goal has also led him to concede more goals. Saints have conceded 21 times so far, and this puts McCarthy joint-second for goals conceded in the league.
The willingness of Gareth Southgate to give every in-form English player a chance to impress has been refreshing and it certainly looks to have worked in McCarthy’s favour ahead of tomorrow.