Harry Redknapp urges England’s Gareth Southgate to find space for both Phil Foden and Jack Grealish

Harry Redknapp has called upon Gareth Southgate to utilise Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, noting other nations would build their team around the Man City pair.

England started their World Cup bid with a 6-2 win over Iran, but questions have been raised after their goalless draw with the USA on Friday, with experts including Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher arguing the case for Foden.  

The manager has hinted the Man City star will play on Tuesday and Redknapp would welcome the change. 

In his column for The Sun, the former West Ham and Spurs manager said they have to be out there from the start, as England’s attacking ‘magic’ seemed absent against the Americans.

Harry Redknapp wants Gareth Southgate to make the most of two of England’s benched stars

Redknapp wrote: ‘When I look at all the squads in Qatar, I struggle to find any to match England for attacking flair.

‘And in Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, we’ve got two players who virtually every other national team in Qatar would look to build their team around.

‘But two games in to the World Cup they have spent the combined total of an hour on the pitch and frankly that amazes me.

‘If I could have one wish for Tuesday’s final group match against Wales, it would be to see the pair of them out there from the start.’

Phil Foden is one of the players that Redknapp believes should be used more against Wales

He said Friday’s drab draw ‘was crying out for someone to provide that bit of magic — someone to find that killer pass or inject a bit of life into things’.

While he never got the England job, despite calls for him to receive it, the 75-year-old Poplar man knows exactly what he would do with this group of players.

‘You need a bit of magic, a player who provides that something special, and there’s no shortage of them in the England squad,’ Redknapp said.

‘By now I’m sure you know that no one’s a bigger fan of Jack than me, and he’d be one of the first names in my team every time.

Foden’s Man City teammate Jack Grealish should also start, according to Redknapp’s column

‘I am a huge admirer of Phil too, he’s one of the best young players this country’s seen in years. But for some reason Gareth rarely seems to fancy either of them from the off.’

Both players came off the bench in the 6-2 thumping of Iran, with Grealish scoring the last of England’s goals in the last minute of normal time.

Redknapp said that while he knows England have a lot of depth across their 26-man squad, Foden should have been given another chance last week against the USA, in favour of Jordan Henderson.

The 75-year-old added: ‘No disrespect to Jordan Henderson, he’s a fantastic player and I like him a lot. But it’s not as though England were getting overrun in midfield.’

Redknapp wants Southgate to ‘take the shackles off’ as they prepare for their last group match

He says there must be a call upon Southgate to change his plan against Wales, with England almost certain of qualification.

‘Who knows, maybe Gareth will take the shackles off and go for it against Wales, and I really hope he does,’ Redknapp added.

He finished his column by pleading with the man in the dugout. Redknapp said: ‘But please, Gareth… let’s see Grealish and Foden given a chance. And not just for the final few minutes, either.’

England’s clash with Wales at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Tuesday night will decide if they finish as group winners, runners-up, or even the possibility – however remote – of being eliminated at the first hurdle.