Thursday 15 March 2018 14:00, UK
Ahead of Gareth Southgate naming his England squad on Thursday, we'll be examining his options across the pitch.
Who has booked their place on the plane to the World Cup? Who is in form and pushing for a call? And who still needs to impress?
Today we take a look at the forwards in contention...
Tammy Abraham, Marcus Rashford, Dominic Solanke, Jamie Vardy
There will be a sense of déjà vu for Harry Kane, with the Tottenham striker missing the upcoming friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy due to an ankle injury, having missed the last international break with a knee problem. England and Southgate will be hoping the initial prognosis - a return to training next month - allows Kane the time to pick up where he left off before the World Cup, having scored 35 goals for Spurs in all competitions so far this season.
Kane's absence from the England squad in November saw Southgate hand Swansea forward Abraham his debut alongside Vardy in the 0-0 draw with Germany at Wembley, with Rashford coming off the bench.
Southgate then called up Solanke for the friendly against Brazil, and the Liverpool striker won his first cap as a second-half substitute, replacing Vardy at the same time Abraham came on for Rashford. Another stalemate ensued, however, with England largely battling down the other end to keep Neymar, Gabriel Jesus and Philippe Coutinho at bay.
Vardy has been in fine form recently, having scored five Premier League goals in his last seven games for Leicester, while also netting the winner against Sheffield United to book their spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals this weekend.
Meanwhile, Rashford has struggled to fight his way into Manchester United's starting XI in 2018, but capitalised on a first league start since Boxing Day when scoring twice in the 2-1 win over Liverpool on Saturday.
Abraham had scored four league goals before his call-up in November, and the 20-year-old remains stuck on that figure, having dropped out of favour under Carlos Carvalhal. He has not started a league game in 2018, with brothers Jordan and Andre Ayew the fancied forwards at the Liberty.
It would be unfair to suggest the same fate has befallen Solanke, given that he had not started for Liverpool prior to his England debut, but he is yet to find the target in any competition this season. Starting berths are few and far between for the 20-year-old, particularly given Roberto Firmino's form and fortune of staying injury-free, and Solanke has made just three late appearances off the bench in their last six league games as a result.
With Kane out, and Vardy and Rashford near-certainties to make the squad for March's friendlies, Southgate has at least one vacancy up front. His affiliation with the youth set-up could see him call upon one of Solanke or Abraham once more, but it's 34-year-old Glenn Murray who is the in-form English striker-in-waiting.
The Brighton forward scored five times in their five-game unbeaten run, which ended with a 2-0 defeat at Everton on the weekend. Nevertheless, 11 points from those five games - which included wins over Arsenal, Swansea and West Ham - have helped the Seagulls steer clear of the relegation zone, and left them just six points away from the coveted 40-point mark.
Elsewhere, Wayne Rooney features prominently in the Sky Sports Power Rankings. The former England captain called time on his international career in 2016, and though he has scored 10 league goals this campaign - albeit when playing a more attacking role earlier this season - it seems unlikely the 32-year-old would be tempted out of retirement. However, if Southgate finds himself yearning for experience in Russia, could Rooney really resist the call?
Meanwhile, Ashley Barnes has scored in each of his last three league games, but the Bath-born frontman appears to have his heart set on representing Austria - qualifying through his grandmother and featuring for the nation at U20 level - though he is currently unable to be called up as he does not hold an Austrian passport.
Further options, therefore, include Danny Welbeck, who has started just eight league games for Arsenal this season, scoring three times, and Bournemouth's Callum Wilson, who has seven league goals to his name this campaign, and was given the nod by Matt Le Tissier should Southgate want a fourth striker at the World Cup.
Jermain Defoe, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Charlie Austin are another trio who would love to force their way into contention, while injury looks set to quieten the calls for Andy Carroll to feature as England's 'big man up top' this summer.
According to Sky Bet, Kane (1/20), Rashford (1/12) and Vardy (1/10) are nailed on to make the plane to Russia. Southgate's reliance on this trio - and the advanced roles of Raheem Sterling, Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard - leaves doubts over a fourth forward being taken.
However, should cries for a striker who suits a more direct approach be heard by Southgate, or if Kane's recovery hits bumps along the way, there is hope for those forwards who are currently deemed as outsiders to make the squad.
Welbeck is most fancied at 5/2, ahead of Daniel Sturridge (7/1) and Abraham (8/1), while Murray and Wilson are out at 9/1. The list goes on, of course, with international retiree Rooney lingering at 16/1. Solanke is seen as a long-shot at 25/1.
Choose your 23-man England squad, using our squad selector below. You can share your squad with your friends on social media.
