DANNY MURPHY: James Maddison has dashed hopes of making the England squad for the euro

James Maddison has thwarted his hopes of making it to the England squad for the euro. Gareth Southgate is the type of manager who loves the full package: the ability to get the job done on the pitch and handle oneself the right way.

Maddison’s part in breaking Covid’s rules at a house party won’t be the only reason he’s left out, but it will make it much easier for Southgate to choose between him and his rivals. This is someone who withdrew from England due to illness and was depicted in a casino. Now this. It just won’t go well if you then put him up against people like Mason Mount.

England is blessed with so many attack options in that part of the field. If there is not much between their abilities, your course of action can cause you to fall behind others. Maddison has just closed the door to his chance, which is a shame because he is a super talent.

I think Maddison is the kind of player who will be fired to make up for it in the FA Cup semi-finals. Most players with a sense of loyalty or disappointment in themselves want to respond and pay back the supporters for disappointing the club.

It was an idiot to do and another chance for people to accuse a footballer of being above the rules. I’ve been there, I’ve done it. Live in the bubble of fame and fortune and think the rules don’t apply to me. You think you can walk on water. But now he’s been punished, it’s time to move on.

You have to give credit to Brendan Rodgers for the way he handled the situation. We have often seen players do something wrong but still end up on the couch or in the game. Rodgers decided to leave them out, which would be detrimental to the squad, especially with a player like Maddison who can produce magical moments, but he wants to set a standard for the club and his team.

I think he’s right. One game is enough. Some fans have said they want him to miss the FA Cup semi-final too. Where do you stop? If you ban players for one or two games, someone expects three or four. And what would it bring? It doesn’t help Leicester win a huge game in their history. Rodgers sent his message.

This match is a great opportunity for both Leicester and Southampton to be one match away from an FA Cup final. Their defeat to West Brom was really bad.

Leicester are the favorites. They have better players, a better squad and have shown more consistency this season. Saints were in such bad shape in the Premier League it’s hard to reverse the momentum. They need to somehow turn that around against a Leicester squad who, when at it, are full of energy, well coached and have a clear tactical plan.

But Saints has yet to score a goal in the FA Cup. Sometimes teams can produce in one-off matches without the pressure of the Premier League without the threat of relegation.

They have to do a great job. Danny Ings will always provide a target threat and James Ward-Prowse’s skill from set pieces is a super weapon that can get you out of the mire in an instant.

Southampton can separate the FA Cup and the Premier League. Leicester can’t. For them, this is also hugely important for their confidence in their remaining league games. Their performance against West Ham was not great and they are still working to make sure they don’t miss the top four again.