James Maddison has had an incredible debut season in the Premier League. The 22-year-old moved to Leicester City from Championship side Norwich City for an estimated £20 million and the Foxes have had an instant return on their investment.

Maddison featured 36 times for Leicester this campaign, scoring seven goals while notching seven assists. His impact and influence at the King Power Stadium has been clear for all to see…

The Three Lions, currently 2/1 with 888sport to win the Nations League, have gone with a similar squad to the one that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals.

Southgate promised to pick players purely on form rather than the prestige of their club but Maddison has been hard done by. The Leicester star’s frustration will only be enhanced by the inclusion of Manchester City’s Fabian Delph and Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard.

Delph’s last Premier League outing was in a 3-0 win away at Huddersfield Town in January and he finished the 2018/19 campaign with just 11 appearances to his name.

Delph himself must have been surprised to receive the good news – the former Aston Villa midfielder has made just three appearances in all competitions since mid-January.

One of those performances was an 18-minute cameo off the substitute’s bench with City five goals to the good and he was hauled off after 57 minutes with the Blues two-nil down at Swansea City in another. Delph’s inclusion is perhaps the most baffling of all.

Manchester United’s recent struggles have been well-documented and Jesse Lingard’s form will be cause for concern for England supporters.

The Red Devils midfielder can line up in a number of positions but he has been directly involved in just 10 goals in 43 appearances for club and country in 2018/19.

England under-21s are well fancied to challenge at the U21 Euro Finals this summer and the Leicester man, along with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, will be looking to help Aidy Boothroyd’s side win the competition.

Valued at 3/1 in 888sport’s football betting odds, England have one of the strongest youth squads in world football and perhaps Southgate believes that Maddison needs to gain more international experience at U21 level before making the step up.

That claim doesn’t sit well with me though. Maddison has proven himself at Premier League level this season, holding his own on the biggest domestic stage in the sport.

The phrase ‘if they’re good enough, they’re old enough’ is thrown around a lot in football but it is certainly applicable here. Gaining experience with the under-21s isn’t going to do his career any harm but he is talented enough to ply his trade for the full national team.

If nothing else, Maddison gives you a creative spark. The Leicester star was the ONLY player to create over 100 goal-scoring opportunities in the Premier League last season and he is the kind of player who can make an impact off the bench.

It is simple, situational football – who do you want to bring on if you’re chasing a goal with 25 minutes to go, James Maddison or Fabian Delph? It isn’t even a question.

The likes of Raheem Sterling and Jadon Sancho obviously pull rank but you could argue that Maddison is just as influential as Ross Barkley and/or Nathan Redmond. Players involved in the Europa League and Champions League may be tired heading into this summer’s competition…

England have a real opportunity to build on last year’s success at the 2018 World Cup with a triumphant trip to Portugal. The UEFA Nations League is there for the taking and England tick all the right boxes to lift the trophy in Porto.

Maddison’s exclusion has got England fans talking about Southgate’s priorities – let’s just hope he doesn’t come to regret putting the under-21s first come the end of the summer.

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes sees a field of fourteen go to post for the Group One contest at Newbury on Saturday afternoon.

Horses that have run in the previous season’s Prix du Moulin, QEII Stakes, St James Palace, Greenham Stakes and Prince Of Wales Stakes are certainly the ones to watch as they either win or place in this contest.

Here are some trends and statistics to bear in mind over the past ten years followed by a guide to all the runners.

Age:

• 8/10 winners were aged four, the other two were aged 5.
• That would be a negative against Stormy Atlantic, Mustashry and Lord Glitters chances.

Fillies & Mares:

• Only four females have won since 2004. Rhododendron was the only filly in the field last year and she showed the boys how it’s done by landing the spoils.

Form:

• Previous Course Form – 8/10 winners had at least one previous run at Newbury, 7/10 had at least one previous win at Newbury.
• Previous Distance Form – 10/10 winners had at least four previous runs over a mile, 7/10 winners had at least two wins over a mile, 10/10 winners had at least one win over a mile.

Trainer Form:

• Aidan O’Brien won this race in 2003 with Hawk Wing and last year with Rhododendron but in the years in between he has struggled to get one of his runners placed.
• The Hannon yard has won this race five times in total with their last win coming in 2015.

Starting Price:

• The starting price trends have been absolutely on the button over the last ten years. The winner has always been 9/1 or less and has come from the first four in the betting.
• The four horses that are likely to head the market on Saturday are: Le Brivido, Laurens, Lord Glitters and Beat The Bank.
• 7 of the last 10 winners were favourites/joint favourites.

Lockinge Stakes: Runners

Accidental Agent

The five-year-old, bred and owned by Eve’s mother, Gaie Johnson Houghton, finished sixth behind Rhododendron in this contest last year. The surprise 25/1 Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes winner will have to be back to his best to figure here. A recent wind-op may help his cause.

Beat The Bank

The Paco Boy gelding made an impressive start to the season when winning the Group 2 bet365 Mile at Sandown Racecourse last month. It was the five-year-old’s fourth Group 2 success in his career and Balding is confident he can make his mark in a Group 1.

Le Brivido

A very useful sort as a three-year-old when trained by Andre Fabre in 2017 and took in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. Looked in need of the run in the Gladness Stakes at Naas last month.

Lord Glitters

Lord Glitters ran a huge race when third in the Dubai Turf at Meydan and it is O’Meara’s intention to take in all the big mile races this season. His last win came in the Strensall Stakes at York, when just fending off Mustashry.

Mustashry

Very closely matched with Lord Glitters on their York meeting. Mustashry also ran a remarkable race under Jim Crowley at Doncaster last season when holding off both D'bai and Oh This Is Us which is top notch form.

Mythical Magic

Returns to Group 1 level on his first start in Britain since October 2017. He ran well in the Al Fahidi, then he went and won the Zabeel Mile and this will be his first run since those overseas exploits.

Ostlilo

Ostilio won four of his seven starts in 2018 including the Prix Daniel Wildenstein at Longchamp. Connections will be hoping he can put a lacklustre start to this season behind him here.

Romanised

Last year’s surprise Irish 2,000 Guineas winner would be an equally surprising winner of this after recently finishing just fifth in the Gladness Stakes at Naas. Admittedly he had to concede 5lbs that day but he does not look the most obvious choice in this.

Sharja Bridge

Beat The Bank and Sharja Bridge finished 1-2 at Sandown last time out and there is no obvious reason why the Roger Varian-trained horse shouldn’t put it up to the gelding again. Already a winner this season, Sharja Bridge will be match sharp for this.

Sir Dancealot

Enjoyed his most lucrative season to date last year, with Group 2 victories in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood and in the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. Steps back up to a mile for the first time since contesting a Group 1at Doncaster in October 2016.

Without Parole

Since winning last year's St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot the four-year-old has found things difficult in this sort of company. He finished fifth in the Dubai Turf on his last run and will need the rub of green in a race of this nature.

Billesdon Brook

Richard Hannon's 2018 1000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook has never quite reached those heady heights again and will probably come up just short again here. She could however make the frame at a decent price in the horse racing odds.

I Can Fly

I Can Fly went down by just a necking to Roaring Lion in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot last season but her form since has been very patchy. She could easily bounce back but she is definitely a risky betting proposition.

Laurens

A five-time Group 1 winner already, Laurens is a top-class thoroughbred and her four-year-old season promises to be another cracker. Her defeat in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes came after a long season but she will be trained up to peak fitness for her seasonal debut here.

Lockinge Stakes: Conclusion

A competitive looking field but it is very difficult get away from the popular Jon Dance-owned filly Laurens. Her form looks solid and she will take all the beating.

888sport suggests: Laurens

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

On 6^th March, Rio Ferdinand declared that “Man United are back” after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led the Red Devils to a dramatic victory against Paris Saint Germain.

Since then, Manchester United’s form reads: loss, loss, win, loss, loss, win, loss, loss, loss, draw, draw, loss.

The jubilation of the Parisian comeback was soon forgotten. FA Cup elimination to Wolves followed, and United were played off the park by Barcelona at the Camp Nou to end their Champions League journey in the following round.

Such was their last season demise, they as good as ruled themselves out of the top four running when they failed to beat Chelsea on 28^th April.

A draw with Huddersfield and defeat Cardiff was a fitting end to a season that was close to worst-case scenario territory.

Not only did United have to sack Jose Mourinho, while watching City march towards a domestic treble, they also missed out on a huge amount of revenue by failing to qualify for the Champions League.

Then there’s the salt-in-the-wounds part – they are the only top six side not to have either won the league or appeared in a European final this season.

Mourinho’s barbs, Solskjaer’s occasional irritability and chronic underachievement have harmed United in ways that will impact them beyond this season.

Criticism from managers damages the market value for players. The inconsistency on the pitch doesn’t exactly put them in the shop window.

With Solskjaer clearly keen to rebuild the squad, Manchester United have a limited number of assets that will be able to attract a notable transfer fee. The club’s failings, and some misjudged comments from both Mourinho and Solskjaer, have backed them into a corner.

Solskjaer has made it clear he wants to overhaul the playing staff. The question Manchester United should be asking themselves (and who knows if they are) is: why are we doing this again?

Vast amounts of money have been spent in recent seasons. Good, some very good, players have been bought. On-field performances have not improved.

Unless United acknowledge their errors in summers past, this transfer window is destined for the same results. It is easy to blame some (or maybe all) of it on Mourinho, just as it was with Louis van Gaal and David Moyes.

All of that trio deserved varying degrees of blame for the situation, but there are deeper issues at the club.

Since Alex Ferguson retired, they have lacked direction, with transfer pursuits all too often public and signings not fitting together. The last part of that sentence is the key bit of the 2019 offseason.

Manchester United have bought players like they’re collecting trading cards. Buying ‘attackers’ without thinking how they actually work together on the pitch, and hoarding players without a blueprint of how they want to play.

Having flexibility in the squad is a good thing, of course, but United’s squad hasn’t felt flexible. It has been rigid, with a back three requiring square pegs in round holes and a back four often leaving a topsy-turvy midfield.

The decision-making at the club has been, to put it mildly, peculiar. That even extends to hiring Solskjaer, who other than playing for the club, had little reason to be considered for the job.

The pursuit of a Director of Football is heading a similar way, with Rio Ferdinand and Darren Fletcher reportedly two leading candidates for the role.

This summer is decisive for United, though it’s not the first time that’s been said in recent years. Paul Pogba might be heading to Real Madrid, Solskjaer isn’t too keen on Anthony Martial and they are already at the top of the news agenda.

Links to Gareth Bale – who they are 7/4 to sign in 888sport’s football betting – and Aaron Wan-Bissaka seem inevitable. Chasing Bale when their attack is the least of their worries just about sums up United’s recruitment of late.

Instead of new signings, clearing space in the squad should be the priority.

The defence is clogged up with players who should have been moved on years ago, and that’s the area they should be looking to strengthen most of all. They are 5/2 to sign Kalidou Koulibaly this summer.

It’s impossible to predict if anything will be different at Old Trafford. The Director of Football situation and Solskjaer’s comments don’t suggest a significant change, but they have enough financial power to make strides forward without getting everything right.

Blaming the players is easy, and they’ve not been faultless, but for a club that prides itself on its supposed identity, it is concerning that there has been no plan for several years.

While Spurs have been spending pennies, Chelsea have been in turmoil, and Arsenal in an almighty transition, the world’s richest club have been unable to make up ground.

That isn’t about desire, commitment or a player not tracking back in an end of season match.

Are Manchester United in a better position than they were when they sacked David Moyes? How many of their transfers have been successes?

United went for short-term success with Mourinho and gambled with Solskjaer. Those two hires don’t ‘fit’. Signing Alexis Sanchez didn’t make much sense, nor did Fred or extending Ashley Young and Chris Smalling.

A Director of Football is desperately needed to increase the chances of a successful summer. Hiring the right person, though, remains a challenge in itself, and few would back United to pick the best person for the job.

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*