'It's a gamble' - Gareth Southgate explains Manchester United decisions as Luke Shaw in but Harry Maguire out

Gareth Southgate says it was a 'calculated risk' to select Luke Shaw for the European Championship amid his ongoing injury issues and has also explained why Harry Maguire was not selected.

The Manchester United left-back was included in the final 26-man squad for the upcoming tournament in Germany despite not playing a game in almost four months due to injury. Shaw is the only recognised left-back in the England squad but is expected to miss next week's opening fixture against Serbia as he continues his recovery.

Southgate hopes the United full-back will be fit enough to feature later in the tournament and is encouraged by the progress he has already made.

"He’s progressed really well in the last couple of weeks," the England manager said. "At the moment, we think he could have some involvement in the second group game. But, of course, [he’s] got to keep hitting the markers. But he’s got a good body of work, operating at good speeds as well.

"I think you can take one gamble, and that [taking Shaw] is a gamble that we’ve got enough evidence to believe can pay off. And also positionally, with what he brings with his experience, the fact he’s a left-footer who can drive forward and give us another attacking option as well, that’s a situation we wanted to explore."

Kobbie Mainoo is the other United player to make the cut, while Maguire has missed out on the final squad as he recovers from his own injury issues. Southgate insists the only reason the experienced central defender wasn't included is due to his current lay-off from which he is still a number of weeks away from full fitness.

He added: "Trent [Alexander-Arnold] can play both [in midfield and defence], we had nine defenders in the last couple of tournaments so I think we’re the same now. That was part of the reason we couldn’t take Maguire. We would’ve had to take a 10th defender, and that balance wouldn’t have been right, it would’ve left us short in other areas.

"Harry has made some progress, but it’s been complicated and we wouldn’t have had him in the group stages. There were too many hurdles to get through without being clear where we might get to. The decision on Harry is totally about his physical condition and his recovery from the injury. There is no other reason as he is one of our strongest centre-backs."