July 11th 2024.
As the excitement builds for the Euro 2024 final between England and Spain, all eyes are on England manager Gareth Southgate. While the team has been performing well, Southgate has one particular decision to make: whether or not to make any major changes to the starting lineup for Sunday's match.
Despite dominating the Netherlands in the first half of their semi-final showdown, the Dutch managed to come back in the second half. Nevertheless, it was still England's most confident performance of the tournament so far. Southgate's decision to switch to a back three system for the quarter-final match against Switzerland has proven successful, with players like Phil Foden and Kobbie Mainoo shining on the field.
One player who has particularly benefited from the tactical change is Bukayo Saka. After a quiet start to the tournament, the Arsenal star has been back to his best while playing at right wing-back. However, Southgate's dilemma lies on the opposite flank, where Kieran Trippier has been a mainstay at left-back and left wing-back. But with Luke Shaw returning from injury and proving his worth in the team, Southgate may opt to make the switch.
With Spain boasting the competition's top two wingers, Southgate will need to carefully consider Shaw's fitness before making a decision. But the Manchester United star's natural left-footedness and ability to add width and attacking options may prove to be invaluable against a strong Spanish team.
In other areas of the team, Marc Guehi has returned from suspension and seamlessly fit back into the defense alongside John Stones and Kyle Walker. And while there have been calls for Ollie Watkins to replace Harry Kane as the team's striker, Southgate is unlikely to make such a drastic change. However, Watkins may still be called upon from the bench if needed.
On the Spanish side, they will be without Pedri, who was injured in their quarter-final match against Germany. And while there may be some changes in their defense, Alvaro Morata has eased any concerns about his fitness after a minor incident with a steward during their match against France.
As the match draws near, both teams are preparing for battle. The match kicks off at 8pm, with live coverage available on BBC One and ITV. And as the teams prepare to face each other for the 28th time, the odds are in Spain's favor, but England is not far behind. The Golden Boot race is also a close one, with Dani Olmo and Harry Kane both tied with three goals each.
With all the excitement and anticipation, it's sure to be an intense and thrilling final between these two talented teams. And with England edging out Spain in their last meeting in 2018, anything can happen on the field.
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