Gareth Southgate handed major boost as all 26 England players train ahead of last-16 Euro 2024 clash with Slovakia – with Kieran Trippier returning after two days away from the main squad

Gareth Southgate received a welcome boost as all 26 England players took to the training pitch this morning.

Kieran Trippier had not fully trained for two days, but has now returned to the line-up, providing Southgate with a full line-up again.

England take on Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen in the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a chance to book a quarter-final match against Italy or Switzerland.

Southgate has the freedom to make any changes he wants before the match.

Kobbie Mainoo is expected to make his first competitive start for the Three Lions, while Southgate will make a late call-up to Trippier.

This would make Mainoo the third midfielder to start this tournament together with Declan Rice, after Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Gallagher.

Southgate has faced calls to make sweeping changes to the team, particularly his forward line, who have started the tournament here in Germany after three lacklustre outings in their Group C matches.

However, the England boss is preparing to remain loyal to the majority of his favored squad, meaning the likes of Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer – for whom there is a lot of clamoring to start – may have to settle for a place on the bench .

Ezri Konsa and Joe Gomez are on standby to start the match if Trippier is unavailable.

Luke Shaw is now fully operational again, but it seems unlikely Southgate will want to risk becoming the starting left-back at Manchester United given he has not played for five months.

In a surprise turn of events, Bukayo Saka has been forced to publicly rule himself out of a left-back position against Slovakia.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright suggested that Saka could play as a left back, but Saka told the BBC: ‘I love Ian Wright and he says so many good things about me, but I don’t think putting me in another position is the answer. position to play.

“But ultimately I think we can talk about it, but it’s in Gareth’s hands so we’ll have to trust whoever Gareth chooses on the day.”

In light of the Arsenal legend’s comments, several clips have surfaced on social media showing Saka impressing at full-back as a youngster in Arsenal’s academy.

More to follow.