England vs Serbia: Who Makes Gareth Southgate’s Starting Eleven?
And just like that, the start of England’s EURO 2024 campaign is upon us and the months of speculation around Gareth Southgate’s strongest eleven are set to be put to bed. The Three Lions get their tournament underway against Serbia tonight, who will prove tricky opposition with the likes of Dusan Tadic, Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksander Mitrovic amongst the familiar names in their ranks.
With that being said, England should have more than enough quality to come away with all three points in this one. Let’s take a look at the predicted starting eleven…
Goalkeeper – Jordan Pickford
The Everton shot stopper will of comfortably keep his place in Southgate’s starting lineup after a really impressive season with the Toffees.
Pickford will be looking to carry on his form from Euro 2020 and the Qatar World Cup in 2022, where he was crucial to England’s success.
Right-Back – Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker has been another reliable member of Southgate’s back line throughout his entire tenure in the England dugout. Despite having a pretty poor end to the season for Man City, he is still the Three Lions’ most dependent defensive option in that department.
Centre-Back – John Stones
Walker will be joined by his Man City teammate, John Stones, who will be one of the first names on the team sheet throughout this tournament. The 30-year-old will be without his usual partner, Harry Maguire, but now has the experience to be the pivotal figure in the back line.
Centre-Back – Marc Guehi
Taking Maguire’s place in the back four, is Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. Despite being injured for a considerable amount of the 2023/24 season, the former Chelsea man has still managed to put himself into serious consideration for England’s opening game – speaking volumes about Guehi’s quality.
Left-Back – Kieran Trippier
With questions still surrounding Luke Shaw’s fitness, Newcastle United full-back Kieran Trippier will likely step into Southgate’s back four. Despite being naturally deployed as a right-back, Trippier will be looking to make a quick start to give himself the best chance of maintaining his position upon Shaw’s return to fitness.
Centre Midfield – Declan Rice
Along with Stones and Pickford, this is another easy choice for Southgate. Since his mega-money move to Arsenal last summer, Rice has taken his game to a whole new level and has become one of the best central midfielders in the world – a position that England have struggled with in previous tournaments.
Centre Midfield – Trent Alexander-Arnold
Perhaps the most controversial talking point in Southgate’s plans, I think Alexander-Arnold could be in line to start alongside Rice in a midfield double pivot. The Liverpool star’s quality is clearly becoming too hard to ignore, and will likely come into this role to facilitate a more advanced role for a certain Real Madrid star.
Attacking Midfield – Jude Bellingham
With the inclusion of Alexander-Arnold, we can expect to see Jude Bellingham move into the number ten role, where he has enjoyed so much success for Real Madrid. The 20-year-old also has the intelligence and maturity to drop deeper and help the double pivot, should England come under any sustained pressure.
Right-Wing – Bukayo Saka
Some have been calling for Cole Palmer to come into the starting lineup in place of Bukayo Saka, but that simply won’t be the case. As long as Saka is fit, you can expect the Arsenal forward to start every game for the Three Lions.
Left-Wing – Phil Foden
Perhaps England’s most exciting player at the moment, the Premier League Player of the Season will be at the centre of any success England have this summer. The most valuable aspect Foden can bring is his dynamic style of play, that will see him contribute in multiple different areas of the pitch – creating a much more fluid England side than in previous years with the likes of Mason Mount in the advanced positions.
Striker – Harry Kane
Of course, England’s all-time top scorer Harry Kane will lead the line. The Bayern Munich forward has enjoyed a sensational season over in Germany and will be looking to build on his remarkable record in major tournaments for England.
