Theo Walcott rowed with Gareth Southgate after being dropped on his 28th birthday

Theo Walcott argued with Gareth Southgate after being told he was being dropped from the latest England squad.

England manager Southgate called the Arsenal forward on his 28th birthday to inform him he hadn’t been picked for the upcoming games against Germany and Lithuania.

‘I’ve got to say he wasn’t chuffed to bits to get the call,’ Southgate said. ‘And I understand that. Did he argue his case? Yes. Quite rightly, he said: “I’m one of the leading goalscorers in the league.”

‘I don’t mind being challenged on that. I totally respect that. I don’t expect him to be happy but I’ve got to make decisions and I think it was the right thing to call him to talk that through – even if the timing wasn’t great.’

The decision to omit Walcott was perhaps the most surprising call of Southgate’s first squad since being appointed England manager on a permanent basis. With regular strikers Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge all unavailable, Walcott represented an experienced option in attack.

The Arsenal striker has also been in good form this season, scoring 17 goals in 29 appearances for the Gunners.

Southgate explained his choice: ‘I don’t think he transferred his early-season form into the matches we had in October and November with England.

‘He’s a player I still like. I’ve said to him that I’m not ruling him out but, in terms of just having him as a squad player, I think it’s a better opportunity for me to look at one or two others. With our wide players – the way we’re playing at the moment we like to get the players between the lines slightly differently. Theo is more a player who runs in behind defences.’

England play a friendly against Germany on Wednesday and then a World Cup qualifier with Lithuania on Sunday 26 March.