England’s Ben Chilwell, Mason Mount in Isolation After Billy Gilmour contact
England players Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount need to go into isolation after being in contact with Scottish player Billy Gilmour who contracted COVID-19.
Gareth Southgate is facing an anxious wait over the availability of Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell after admitting his plans for England’s Group D finale against the Czech Republic have been disrupted by the duo being forced to self-isolate.
Gilmour was pictured being greeted by Mount and Chilwell at full-time and although England’s entire squad and staff tested negative today, the pair are now separated from the rest of the group.
“There’s obviously got to be quite a doubt [Mount and Chilwell can play] but there are still discussions and investigations going on behind the scenes,” said Garreth Southgate, England’s coach. “They are isolating and we just have to find out over the next 12 hours or so.
No other Scotland players are isolating despite an Instagram video of Gilmour which has been deleted appeared to show the midfielder interacting with multiple teammates after the game.
The England squad was not vaccinated prior to Euro 2020 and Southgate said:
“In terms of the vaccination, I think you need to go back to my suggestions in March about that where I was fairly firmly shouted down for daring to suggest anything of the sort. “
I did propose it but I of course at that time also said I totally understood where we stood in the pecking order for vaccinations and it was more important that the clinically vulnerable and everybody else received those first.
What Next?
With Mason Mount not being able to most likely play in the final group stage match versus the Czech Republic, it will give many players a chance to show their ability.
Mount is one of the first names on the team sheet either playing as an attacking midfielder, slightly further back in the midfield, or as a right/left-winger. With him most likely out there will be players such as fan-favorite Jack Grealish who can take his starting position or Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford or Jadon Sancho who may also be a Manchester United player next year.
Ben Chilwell Wasn’t Even on The List
Ben Chilwell isn’t the biggest miss for England. The Chelsea player has not played in the tournament at all. He was not in the 23 man squad for the first game versus Croatia and did not see the field in the second game versus Scotland. Southgate has used 2 different players at left-back with Chilwell not playing there at all.
My predicted starting lineup for England: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Mings, Shaw, Rice, Phillips, Sterling, Grealish, Foden, Kane
