England manager Gareth Southgate is expected to field a back-three for the first time in three years for Saturday's Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland, with Kieran Trippier likely to start at right wing-back and Bukayo Saka at left wing-back.
Sky Sports News Over the past few days, reports have emerged that manager Southgate has been looking to improve England's performance levels by setting a new game plan in training this week.
In recent days, the England manager has experimented with a variety of players in different roles under Blankenhain, but now appears to have opted for Trippier and Saka to provide much-needed width to his squad.
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England manager Gareth Southgate has praised Kieran Trippier, saying left-back Luke Shaw is fit enough to start for England at the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.
Manager Southgate was full of praise for Trippier in his pre-match press conference, saying he had “done a really great job for us”.
Trippier started at right wing-back in the Euro 2020 final against Italy three years ago, the last official match Southgate used the formation, but has been used as a left wing-back in a flat-back quartet so far in this tournament.
At 33, his experience and excellent defensive sense appear to have put him ahead. Trent Alexander-Arnold In Southgate's mind.
On the left, Southgate appears determined to secure a left-footed option at wing-back, but he is expected to opt for Saka instead. Luke Shaw – He has not played football since mid-February but was declared fit enough by Southgate on Friday to start.
“Luke Shaw is fit and able to start,” Southgate said in his pre-match press conference. “But Kieran has done a great job for the team.
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England manager Gareth Southgate has expressed disappointment at suggestions that England are being given an easy chance at Euro 2024, lamenting that “we as a nation have a sense of entitlement that creates drama and irritates opponents”.
“He obviously doesn't give us the natural balance of a natural left-footed player, but his leadership, his words are phenomenal and help his team-mates play. It's a dying art. You can never have enough people who say nice things on the pitch.
“He's adapted and done a really great job for us.”
England face Switzerland in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 in Dusseldorf on Saturday. Gareth Southgate's side reached the last eight after a dramatic 2-1 win over Slovakia. Jude Bellingham's overhead kick equalised in the 94th minute before Harry Kane added the winner in extra time.
The Three Lions topped Group C after beating Serbia and drawing with Denmark and Slovenia. However, their performances throughout the tournament were below expectations, with Gary Neville saying: “If we don't raise our level, we'll be out on Saturday.”
If England beat Switzerland they will play. Netherlands or Turkey The semi-finals take place in Dortmund on Wednesday, kicking off at 8pm UK time.
The final will take place in Berlin on Sunday 14th July, kicking off at 8pm UK time.
Neville: Southgate must take risks
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville's comments after the win over Slovakia:
“This England team has performed below par on four occasions in this competition. They will be hoping this will be the catalyst for improved performance levels and a turnaround in performance.
“Winning is everything in a tournament, but at the end of the day, there is a limit to how far you can go as a team that is inferior, so performance is important. If you don't do well and win, it will eventually catch you and I think England will catch you on Saturday if they continue to play at the same level.
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Sky Sports' Gary Neville has admitted Gareth Southgate will need to make changes to his starting XI and possibly the system if he is to make deep progress at the Euros.
“Let me be perfectly clear. Three weeks ago, if you had let the England squad, Gareth Southgate, the players and us the fans, lose to Switzerland in the quarter-finals, we would have bitten your hand.
“But Switzerland are doing well, they are a good team. They should not be ignored and the players will not be ignored. But if we do not raise our performance level, we will be out on Saturday.
“We were lucky to beat Slovakia and do well in the group stage. If Denmark had scored one more goal we would have played Germany.
“So we've had a stroke of luck twice now, and it looks like we've definitely gotten to the finals by luck, but my head is telling me that if we keep going we're going to hit a big hurdle and we have to take a risk to free ourselves.
“We looked as scared as any England team of old.”
