Ban a blow for Alli’s England starting chances

Dele Alli’s impressive form for Tottenham this season has resulted in a real clamour to have the youngster included in England’s starting team at Euro 2016.

Alli, who turned 20 earlier this month, has taken the Premier League by storm after moving to White Hart Lane from MK Dons. He helped Tottenham mount a real title challenge for the first under Mauricio Pochettino and did enough to earn his first England senior cap against Estonia last October.

A starring role in the 3-2 come-from-behind victory over world champions Germany in Berlin in March ensured the hype surrounding Alli’s potential inclusion in Roy Hodgson’s team for the Euro 2016 opener against Russia on June 11 was ratcheted up a notch.

However, Alli is now set to miss Tottenham’s final three games in the Premier League after accepting an FA misconduct charge relating to his altercation with West Brom’s Claudio Yacob in the recent 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane.

With 11 goals for club and country so far this season and a succession of impressive performances under his belt, Alli has surely done enough to merit inclusion in Hodgson’s squad for France.

His indiscretion and subsequent ban may however mean that a starting role is beyond him on this occasion. Alli will have gone 47 days without competitive football by the time England are ready to run out against Russia in Marseille.

For a player with just two competitive international appearances to his name, the Three Lions boss may decide it is a bridge too far to pitch him in for such a vital clash from the start on the back of that lay-off.

Alli and his supporters will be hoping that he can use the pre-tournament games against Turkey, Australia and Portugal to further his case for a start but his three-game ban could prove decisive.

England are 9.00 to win Euro 2016 while Alli is 11.00 to be leading goalscorer for his country in France this summer.