All eyes are on Gareth Southgate’s England squad announcement on Thursday at 2PM with Rangers’ Jack Butland certainly keeping one eye on the national boss’s comments.

It is understood Butland stands a very, very good chance of getting the call up, and frankly given the dearth of quality opposing him, we’d be genuinely shocked if the most in-form English goalkeeper in the world right now was excluded.

But then we know Gareth Southgate is ridiculously loyal to his stormtroopers, that no matter how well or badly, for example, Jordan Henderson or Harry Maguire might be playing, they will always be selected.

Whether this applies to goalies too we’re not as sure – England’s options there are so poor aside Butland, with the overrated Jordan Pickford of Everton and Crystal Palace’s Sam Johnstone honestly about the only two he has any time for.

Fraser Forster, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale are the other three and with one not playing, one injured, and another not playing as well as being accident-prone, Butland surely has to be ahead of them now.

But then, with this national team boss, we wouldn’t be surprised.

Southgate is long-known as a ‘yes’ man, a bit spineless in some of the decisions he makes, where he doesn’t want to upset the apple cart and makes ‘safe’ calls.

It’s hard to argue entirely given he got England to the Euros final last time around, and they are strong favourites this summer as well, but with the absolutely ridiculous talent he has at his disposal, he definitely doesn’t get the most out of them.

Whether he’ll see sense and put Butland in between the sticks or just make the call to include him, we’ll find out on Thursday.