June 7th 2024.
As the highly anticipated Euro 2024 tournament approaches, England manager Gareth Southgate is facing some tough decisions regarding his starting lineup. Despite announcing his final 26-man squad, there are still some uncertainties surrounding the team's key players.
One of the biggest concerns has been the fitness of star striker Harry Kane, who has been working hard to recover from a back injury that kept him out of his club's final games of the season. However, there is good news as Kane found the back of the net in a recent friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina, signaling that he is close to being back at his best.
Southgate has also confirmed that young talent Ivan Toney will have a role to play in the upcoming match against Iceland, but it is likely that he will come off the bench as the priority remains on getting Kane back to full fitness. There are also question marks surrounding the fitness of wingers Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon, who missed the friendly against Bosnia but have now returned to training and are expected to be involved in the match against Iceland.
While Luke Shaw has been included in the squad, he will not be fit to play until the second group game against Denmark. In his absence, Kieran Trippier is expected to start at left-back as he continues to adapt to the position. With Harry Maguire also missing out due to injury, Marc Guehi will start alongside John Stones in order to build their partnership, but there will be no place for Lewis Dunk due to a minor injury.
In other news, FA Cup finalists Kobbie Mainoo, Kyle Walker, and Phil Foden have joined the squad this week, but Jude Bellingham is unlikely to be involved after his recent Champions League triumph with Real Madrid. The friendly against Iceland will also be the last chance for Southgate to test out backup goalkeepers Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson before the tournament begins.
As for the players who didn't make the final cut, Maguire, Jack Grealish, James Maddison, Curtis Jones, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jarell Quansah, and James Trafford were all dropped from the provisional squad. However, Southgate has revealed that Quansah will still be present at Wembley in order to gain experience with the national team.
In terms of the predicted lineup for the match against Iceland, it is likely that Ramsdale will start in goal, with Walker, Stones, Guehi, and Trippier making up the back four. In midfield, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Declan Rice, Saka, and Foden are expected to start, with Cole Palmer joining Kane upfront.
For those wondering where to catch the action, the match will be broadcasted live on Channel 4, with the option to stream it on their app or website. Kick-off time is set for 7:45pm on Friday, 7th June.
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