- Jordan Henderson missed England’s defeat to Brazil on Saturday due to injury
- Red Devils star Kobbie Mainoo is set to make his full Three Lions debut
- ‘I had a scar on my brain… but I wanted to play’: JAY BOTHROYD’s incredible interview about playing with epilepsy. Listen to the It’s all Kicking Off podcast
Jermaine Pennant has made an impassioned plea for Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo to start for England against Belgium and joked he would throw something through the TV if he saw Jordan Henderson playing.
Mainoo is set to make his first start for the Three Lions at Wembley on Tuesday after making his debut against Brazil last weekend.
Gareth Southgate still has a lot to consider with the final midfield spot alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham heading into the European Championship this summer.
And Pennant believes that selecting Henderson, a player whose talents the England manager knows very well, makes little sense and could even cause ‘consternation’ with so little time left until the tournament in Germany.
“When I see Henderson, something goes through the TV.” The former Liverpool winger continued talkSPORT’s sports bar.
Jermaine Pennant joked that he will throw something through the TV when he sees Jordan Henderson playing for England against Belgium
The former Liverpool captain missed the Three Lions’ 1-0 friendly defeat to Brazil on Saturday
Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo (left) is set to make his full debut against Belgium after earning his first cap as a substitute in the defeat to Brazil
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His co-host Jason Cundy said: ‘My feeling – Southgate is a creature of habit – I wouldn’t be surprised at all if you see Henderson.’
“Oh, there would be an uproar.” Pennant responded before Cundy continued by praising Mainoo’s suitability for the position.
Pennant added: ‘This is why this is the perfect scenario, it’s not a qualifier, it’s not a European Championship, it’s a friendly.
‘So if he can handle this and play like he played for Man United, then you say, “OK, another little experience for him, perfect, exactly what you want from these young players.”
“Rather than putting Henderson there, a veteran who we know what we’re going to get, he’s not going to be exciting, it just doesn’t make sense.”
Gareth Southgate has retained faith in Henderson, who he chose, even when the 33-year-old was playing in the Saudi Pro League
Henderson, who left the Reds last summer before enduring a miserable short spell in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq, has been a regular for England under Southgate.
Now playing for Ajax in the Eredivisie, the 33-year-old returned to training ahead of the match in Belgium after missing the game against Brazil due to injury.