Forget Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips – stats show Ross Barkley is the man for England at Euro 2024

If the England squad was picked on form, then Ross Barkley would be the first name Gareth Southgate called.

Heading into the weekend's Premier League action, Barkley tops the WhoScored.com form rankings with a rating of 8.18 out of 10. Get him on the plane Gareth!

While they couldn't hold out for all the spoils in their topsy-turvy 4-4 draw at Newcastle, an upturn in form means Luton are currently keeping their heads above water.

The Hatters have claimed a result in five of their last six matches and have a game in hand on sides around them in the table.

Few gave Luton are chance of beating off the drop, and yet as we approach the business end of the campaign, Rob Edwards' side are showing the necessary form to consolidate their Premier League spot.

And Barkley has been at the heart of Luton's sudden rise away from the relegation zone.

He's earned a WhoScored.com rating of 7.20 this season, far better than any other player for the Premier League debutants as he ranks third for goals (3), third for assists (3), second for key passes (27) and second for dribbles (35).

Whatever Edwards is saying to Barkley, he needs to keep it up.

Having initially relied upon wing-back Alfie Doughty to shoulder the attacking threat down the left, Barkley settling in means there is now greater flexibility in the way Luton look to hurt opponents.

The free signing is able to drive the team forward impressively once they have sat deep and soaked up pressure to spring rapid counter attacks through the middle of the park.

Luton rank second bottom for possession (38.3 per cent) in England's top tier this term meaning they need a player who is comfortable carrying the ball forward to transition quickly from defence to attack, with Barkley fitting the bill.

At 30 years old, fans are witnessing Barkley at his best, showing signs of the player that took the Premier League by storm when he broke onto the scene with Everton in 2013.

Mismanagement, particularly at Chelsea, saw his career nosedive but under Edwards, he's the star and this is where he thrives. With the midfielder in his current form, should an England call-up next month be on the cards?

Barkley hasn't featured for the national team since 2019, during which he has played for Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nice. However it's difficult to overlook his recent performances.

Luton may not be the most fashionable Premier League side but he's doing a fine job in helping them attempt to beat the drop. When you look at the current central midfield options at Southgate's disposal, too, few are playing at Barkley's current level.

Jordan Henderson has spent the last six months in Saudi Arabia and only made his Ajax debut earlier this month as the Dutch side held league leaders PSV to a 1-1 draw, a match in which Southgate was in attendance.

Kalvin Phillips has also looked rusty in his opening two appearances for West Ham, committing an error in the opning two minutes on his West Ham debut in the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth before dropping to the bench for the eventual 3-0 loss at Manchester United.

Given Phillips' lack of action for Manchester City prior to his January move south, that's to be expected, but he needs to get back up to speed, and fast, if he is to nail down his Euro 2024 spot.

Another Southgate favourite, Mason Mount, hasn't played since United's 1-0 win over Luton back in November and even when the 25-year-old has featured; he hasn't performed to the standards expected of him.

There isn't even a guarantee of an immediate return to the United XI upon his return to fitness, with Erik ten Hag finding his favoured setup in Mount's absence.

With that in mind, a return to the England squad isn't so far fetched.

While Barkley is playing for a Luton side that does see far less of the ball than the Three Lions would on the international stage, he still has experience in playing in dominant sides.

With friendly meetings with Brazil and Belgium on the horizon, a return to the national side would be deserving given his Luton form combined with compatriots struggling at club level.

Maybe Kenilworth Road should be the next stadium Southgate visits.