May 25th 2024.
Former England striker Michael Owen recently shared his ideal England team for the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament. He chose to leave out Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, instead opting for Chelsea's Cole Palmer on the right wing. This decision sparked some controversy, as Saka has been in impressive form for his club this season.
The Three Lions are currently preparing for this summer's Euros in Germany, with manager Gareth Southgate announcing a provisional squad of 33 players last week. However, there were some notable absentees, including Marcus Rashford, Jordan Henderson, and Raheem Sterling. Southgate will have to cut the squad down to 26 players by June 7th.
Owen's team features some familiar names, such as Jordan Pickford in goal, Kyle Walker at right-back, and Harry Kane as the main striker. He also hopes that Manchester United's Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw will be fit for the tournament, despite recent injury troubles.
In midfield, Owen has chosen Declan Rice as the sole defensive midfielder, with Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham given the freedom to push forward. He also included Arsenal's record-signing, Cole Palmer, on the right wing, with Newcastle's Anthony Gordon on the left.
Despite Saka's impressive performances for Arsenal, Owen believes that Palmer and Gordon offer more speed and attacking threat. He also mentioned that there could be some changes to the forward line throughout the tournament, with players like Saka possibly being brought in.
Owen acknowledges that his team may not be everyone's preference, but he stands by his choices. He also believes that there may only be a few changes to the squad selected by Southgate.
The former striker also shared his excitement for the upcoming Euros, stating that England has a lot of options and alternatives in their squad. He also mentioned that he would love to see them end their trophy drought, which dates back to 1966.
The England national team will kick off their Euro 2024 campaign on June 16th against Serbia. Fans will have to wait and see if Owen's predictions come true and if Saka will make an appearance in the tournament.
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