Former Saint Le Saux backs Shaw to make England cut over Cole

Former Southampton star Graeme Le Saux has thrown his weight behind Luke Shaw’s bid to be included in England’s World Cup squad.

Roy Hodgson names the 23 players who will board the plane to Brazil on Monday and one of the key decisions he has to make is who will fill the two left-back berths in the squad.

Everton’s Leighton Baines looks likely to be the first choice for the Three Lions, while Hodgson has to weigh up whether to take the experienced Ashley Cole or the raw and highly talented Luke Shaw.

The 19-year-old’s impressive displays for Southampton this season have caught Hodgson’s eye but in recent weeks Cole, who has been capped 107 times for England, has rediscovered his form for the Blues under Jose Mourinho.

But Le Saux, who made 36 appearances for England, believes Southampton’s Shaw, who made his England debut in March, has the edge over Chelsea’s Cole.

“You still have to pick your best team but ultimately there has to be one eye on the future as well,” said Le Saux.

“From Cole’s point of view, while he has the pedigree, you have to ask if he has played enough football at Chelsea this season – and whether or not that is a signal he is coming to the end of a magnificent career at the highest level.

“Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has been picking a right-back, Cesar Azpilicueta, ahead of him for most of the season and the question is: Why?

“With Luke Shaw’s arrival in the Premier League, his composure and undoubted quality – and the opportunity he has to learn so much from the players around him during the tournament – I wonder if that would give him the edge,” added the 45-year-old.

Shaw is 2/1 with Ladbrokes to make the cut when the squad is announced on Monday, while Cole, who has featured for England in three previous World Cup campaigns, is 1/4 to be selected.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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