Gareth Southgate is set to shake up England’s lineup for their final group stage match against Slovenia on Tuesday. According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the experiment of playing Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield will be abandoned. Conor Gallagher, who has replaced Alexander-Arnold in both of England’s Euro 2024 matches so far, will reportedly take over starting duties alongside Declan Rice. Southgate admitted last Thursday that his midfield was not performing as he had hoped.
Luke Shaw, the Manchester United left-back, remains sidelined despite training with the squad for the first time at the tournament on Monday. Shaw has been plagued by injuries and has only appeared in 12 Premier League matches this season, not playing since mid-February. However, he is getting closer to challenging Kieran Trippier for a place in the starting XI. Trippier, a right-back, started on the left side of defense against Serbia and Denmark.
Southgate provided an update on Shaw’s availability, stating, “Luke Shaw is the only one that’s not really available. He’ll possibly train with the team tomorrow, but he’s not quite ready yet,” according to BBC Sport.
England currently sits at the top of Group C with four points but has faced heavy criticism for their lackluster performances. After narrowly winning 1-0 against Serbia in their opening match, the Three Lions played a lackluster 1-1 draw with Denmark.
In conclusion, Southgate is expected to make changes to England’s lineup for their crucial match against Slovenia. The experiment of playing Alexander-Arnold in midfield will be abandoned, with Gallagher set to take over alongside Rice. Shaw remains sidelined but is edging closer to challenging Trippier for a starting spot. England will be looking to improve their performances and secure a convincing victory to silence their critics.
