"Why watch club football?" - Pundit baffled by Maguire's England inclusion while Arsenal star absent

Darren Bent thinks Gareth Southgate should stick to watching international matches if he doesn't want to pick the England squad in club form.

There was an uproar on social media yesterday when Manchester United captain Harry Maguire was included in Southgate's extended 28-man squad to face Italy and Germany in the League of Nations. Nations later this month.

This will be the last opportunity for Southgate to take a look at their squad ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off on November 20.

'Max Kilman for England' plea as Gareth Southgate and Harry Maguire share the letterbox…

With that in mind, it's no surprise that Southgate have selected a number of familiar faces despite the players not getting much playing time at their clubs this season.

Maguire, who has been a scapegoat for supporters for the past two seasons, hasn't been at his best for a while now and the Man Utd captain has started just three appearances in all competitions this campaign so far.

Explaining his decision to call up a number of players who don't start regularly for their club, Southgate explained: "Obviously we have a number of players, including Ben Chilwell, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips, who are not playing many minutes with their club.

"It's not ideal, but we think they have been, and can be, important players for us.

"It's not a perfect situation but there is still a lot of football to play before Qatar."

Arsenal defender Ben White has started all six of the Gunners' Premier League appearances so far this season, albeit at right-back, but Bent feels White should have been in the squad against Maguire .

"I don't understand why White isn't in the squad," Bent told talkSPORT. "That's where Southgate frustrates my life.

"He has played every game for the team currently top of the Premier League table. I know it was at right-back, but he is very good in midfield.

"Maguire, I get it. He's never let England down, I get it. But if you look at his form last season and the way he started this season, he should be far from the team.

"He's started three games this season and he's lost all three. How is he in the squad? If Southgate wants to pick fit players… why watch club football?

"If you're not going to pick players in club form, just watch the international games then. How can Maguire be in the team and White isn't? Maguire doesn't even play."