Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RULE OF SIX
Boss Southgate will trust in his half-dozen reliables to kick off against Croatia in June
By ANDY DUNN Pickford Pope D Henderson Walker Maguire Stones Shaw Chilwell J Henderson Rice Mount Foden Kane Rashford Sterling Sancho By JOHN CROSS Pope D Henderson Walker Maguire Stones Keane Coady Shaw Chilwell Rice Mount Grealish Saka
GARETH SOUTHGATE still has many unresolved issues ahead of the
Euros – but six of his players have their starting places nailed down.
Southgate will now see
Jordan Pickford, Harry
Maguire, Declan Rice, Mason
Mount, Raheem Sterling and
Harry Kane as guaranteed for the first game against Croatia on June 13.
They have all seen their positions strengthened in the final competitive England games before Southgate names his squad for the Euros – and
Pickford did not even play.
Burnley keeper Nick Pope is clearly a very good deputy but his kicking remains an issue and that is why Everton No.1
Pickford will reclaim his spot when he returns to fitness.
West Ham star Rice has emerged as an absolute mainstay in midfield.
Chelsea midfielder Mount started all three World Cup qualifiers and can play as one of the two deeper midfielders, wide or as a No. 10.
And while John Stones is favourite to start alongside
Maguire, it is the Manchester
United centre-half who is absolutely guaranteed.
England captain Kane and Manchester City forward
Sterling are not up for debate, but the third and final forward place is wide open, with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden all in the mix. Suddenly, Southgate has an
Sancho Foden Rashford Sterling Kane Calvert-lewin Trippier Mings James Grealish Ward-prowse Calvertlewin Dier Phillips
embarrassment of riches and there will be tough decisions to make all over the pitch as the England boss admits he is not even set on his formation for the tournament.
Rice was voted man of the match against both Albania and Poland in the World Cup qualifiers and his progress means it is Jordan Henderson (if fit in time), Kalvin Phillips and the rest who are vying for a place alongside him.
“It’s remarkable, he’s been a very important player for us since game one, really,” said Southgate of Rice’s progress. “We are really pleased that we have also found Kalvin as well in that area of the pitch. “The top teams have those players who can break the game up but can also use the ball well and those two are in that category.
“Very often when we have been without Hendo we’ve looked short of that type of player and now we’ve got a couple that give us that depth.” Southgate said he expects to only take a maximum of eight defenders to the Euro finals, and the lesson of winning under pressure after nearly letting it slip against Poland is perfect preparation ahead of the tournament. Southgate added: “We are well down the line with a lot of that planning, but of course everything is constantly changing with the Covid protocol and what we might be allowed to do.
“So it’s a massive operation ahead of a major tournament.”
J Henderson Bellingham Ward-prowse Phillips Alexanderarnold Lingard Mings James Alexander-arnold Keane Saka Maddison Coady Bellingham Lingard Watkins Maddison Dier Trippier Winks