England predicted XI vs Slovakia with big calls made on Man Utd and Newcastle stars
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Okay, lads. If the best really is yet to come, now would be a great time for it to start arriving. On Sunday evening, England - feeble and uncertain like a pigeon with a broken wing - will begin their Euro 2024 knockout campaign with an entirely winnable match against Slovakia that does not feel entirely winnable right now.
The Three Lions topped their group, of course, but didn’t look overly great in doing so, and will be desperately hoping that the sum of their glittering parts starts to add up to something like a winning formula.
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Hide AdFor their part, Slovakia qualified for the last following a third-place finish in their group, a strange four-headed beast in which Belgian, Romania, and Ukraine also amassed four points and only an inferior goal difference in the case of the latter sent them packing. But how will England line up against the Slovaks in Gelsenkirchen? We’ve taken a closer look at the Three Lions’ team news and predicted starting XI below...
Team news and injury updates
Much of the conversation surrounding Gareth Southgate’s team selection on Sunday hinges on three key areas; left-back, the centre of midfield, and the left wing. In defence, there is a strong chance that Kieran Trippier will retain his place despite the obvious preference for Luke Shaw to return to the starting XI when available. The Manchester United has claimed that he will be ready to face Slovakia, but whether his manager is willing to throw him in at the proverbial deep end remains to be seen.
Elsewhere, Conor Gallagher is likely to drop out of the side, with Kobbie Mainoo’s influential turn against Slovenia surely making him the most likely replacement for the Chelsea man. There had been mild concerns over Declan Rice’s fitness status after it was revealed that the midfielder was training alone, but he is expected to be available to Southgate.
And then there is the left flank conundrum. Some had suggested that Phil Foden could be shunted into a central role at the expense of Jude Bellingham, but with the Manchester City attacker leaving camp this week for personal reasons, he may instead start from the bench. This would allow Bellingham to keep his place, while also freeing up a space out wide for a more conventional winger. Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer are the most likely candidates for the berth. Otherwise, England could be unchanged.
Check out a detailed predicted XI below...
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Hide AdJordan Pickford - GK
England’s undisputed number one at this stage, the Everton goalkeeper has faced the lowest xG of any stopper at Euro 2024 thus far. Here’s hoping it stays that way on Sunday.
Kyle Walker - RB
Like many in this England team, it has been a mixed bag for Walker in Germany so far. Instrumental in the goal against Denmark, and certainly not as bad as others around him, the Manchester City star still has levels left to reach.
John Stones - CB
A guaranteed starter when fit, Stones forms one half of one of the stingiest centre-back pairings at the tournament, alongside...
Marc Guehi - CB
An absolute revelation, Guehi has arguably been England’s best player in Germany, and is fully deserving of his place in the starting XI. What’s more, he is playing so well that it is difficult to see Harry Maguire wrestling his place back from the 23-year-old in the aftermath of the tournament. A real shining light.
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Hide AdKieran Trippier - LB
There has been a lot of talk of Luke Shaw potentially being fit enough to feature, but even if the Manchester United star is back in contention, it would be a significant risk to drop him in at such a crucial juncture from the off. Trippier could retain his place for now.
Declan Rice - CM
Nowhere near his best in the group stage, but still a huge player for England, and one who will be eager to take the knockout stages by the scruff of the neck. Has been training on his own, but is not expected to be a fitness concern.
Kobbie Mainoo - CM
The best England have looked in this tournament, opening half hour against Serbia aside, came when Mainoo was introduced against Slovenia on Tuesday evening. The teenager simply has to replace Conor Gallagher on Sunday.
Jude Bellingham - CM
There has been talk of Phil Foden moving into a more central role for England, but with the Manchester City star leaving camp to reportedly attend the birth of his third child, the likelihood is that Bellingham will keep his place, even if Southgate had been planning a change in the middle. We all know what the Real Madrid star is capable of, now it’s just a case of finding the best way to showcase his ability.
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Hide AdBukayo Saka - RW
Bright in spells but still with an awful more left to give, Saka can be a hugely influential presence for England. Even with Cole Palmer snapping at his heels, the Arsenal man is expected to retain his starting role.
Anthony Gordon - LW
The big change that many England fans are crying out for, and one that again could be affected by Foden’s absence this week. The Newcastle United winger would bring a more traditional slant to the left flank, as well as a measure of directness that could yield great results against Slovakia’s ageing right-back Peter Pekarik.
Harry Kane - ST
Despite scoring against Denmark, the England captain has endured a torrid start to Euro 2024, and will be looking to give a better account of himself in the knockout stages. The key could be getting the right runners in and around him, or simply ensuring that he stays further up the field for larger swathes of the contest against Slovakia.
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