When Southgate selected what would prove his final major tournament squad as England boss, there was more Palace representation than any other other club – four players selected in total.
Dean Henderson, Adam Wharton, as well as then-Eagles Marc Guéhi and Ebere Eze were all selected in the final 26-man pool. It was a statistic that showed the progress Palace were making under Oliver Glasner, a proud moment for everyone connected with the club.
But this wasn't South London bias from Southgate. As with every squad he selected as Three Lions Manager, it was a carefully considered decision.
"Well, they are great people firstly,” Southgate told the matchday programme. “Adam [Wharton] was somebody who really caught our eye. It would have been nice to have more time with him actually, but you could see his potential.
