June 28th 2024.
Gareth Southgate, the coach of the English national team, has been facing a lot of pressure to shake up his lineup. As England prepares to face Slovakia in the Euro 2024 last 16 match, many have been calling for major changes to the team. However, it seems that Southgate will only make one change to his starting XI.
The Three Lions have been receiving criticism for their lackluster performances in the group stage of the competition. Despite this, Southgate chose to stick with the same lineup for the first two games against Serbia and Denmark. It wasn't until the final group match against Slovenia that he made a change, bringing in Conor Gallagher to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold. While there were calls for more drastic changes, it seems Southgate is not planning on making any major moves.
According to The Guardian, Southgate is leaning towards bringing in Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo as the only change to the lineup. Mainoo's presence on the field during the last match against Slovenia seemed to give the team a boost, especially in midfield where he partnered with Declan Rice to provide more control and composure.
Southgate was also praised for bringing on Cole Palmer in the 70th minute, as the Chelsea star added a new attacking dimension and linked up well with his teammates. Anthony Gordon, who came on as a substitute in the 89th minute, also impressed in the limited time he had on the pitch.
As for the predicted starting lineup for the match against Slovakia, Southgate may stick with the same attacking options he has been using so far. Bukayo Saka on the right, Jude Bellingham in the middle, and Phil Foden on the left have all been supporting captain Harry Kane up front. Despite facing criticism, it seems Southgate has faith in this quartet to lead the team to victory.
In terms of the Euro 2024 winner odds, England is currently at 3/1, followed closely by Spain at 10/3. Germany, France, and Portugal are also top contenders with odds of 9/2, 11/2, and 6/1 respectively. However, Southgate and his team cannot afford to underestimate their opponents, as any team has the potential to pull off an upset.
Speaking of opponents, if England manages to beat Slovakia, they will face either Italy or Switzerland in the quarter final on July 6. As for potential semi-final opponents, it could be Romania, the Netherlands, Austria, or Turkey. Southgate has been eager to get Luke Shaw back into the team for the knockout stages, as the Manchester United star has been recovering from a hamstring injury. While he has been making progress in training, it is likely that he will start on the bench against Slovakia.
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