Gary Lineker and Micah Richards deliver their predictions for England’s Euro 2024 last-16 clash with Slovakia and warn Gareth Southgate’s squad they ‘must click into gear now’

Gary Lineker and Micah Richards have confidently backed England to beat Slovakia in their Euro 2024 last-16 tie, but warned Gareth Southgate’s side they need to ‘shift gears’.

The Three Lions will be looking to keep their unbeaten record in the competition alive and secure a place in the quarter-finals when they take on Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.

England were placed on the more favourable side of their group in the knockout stages after finishing top of their group with Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia.

However, performances have rightly been criticised, with stars struggling to replicate their club form on the international stage and at times looking tired.

Three Lions icon Lineker has been one of England’s fiercest critics in Germany, having previously called their 1-1 draw with Denmark ‘s***’ and been criticised by Harry Kane.

The Three Lions will be looking to keep their unbeaten record alive in the competition and secure a place in the quarter-finals

England were placed in the more favorable group of the knockout stages after winning their group

Commenting on England’s future at Euro 2024, the Beeb presenter said: The rest is football podcast: ‘I think I’ll go for England after all. I find it remarkable how the draw turned out for England.

“I mean, it’s obviously not the first time this has happened for Gareth, which is great because it’s really important to have a bit of luck at some point in the tournament.

‘And that could be it. You have the most monsters on the other side of the draw. And even that little twist of Georgia beating Portugal, which meant England played Slovakia instead of the Netherlands.

‘I mean, the game against the Netherlands, you think, I mean, they didn’t fly either, but you go, they have some players. I don’t want to be disrespectful to Slovakia, but there should be very, very strong favorites.’

Meanwhile, fellow pundit and former Man City and England international Richards tipped his country to beat Sunday’s opponents 2-0, adding: ‘I think England will step up a gear now. I

‘I think in the last game against Slovenia you could see that they came higher up the pitch.

‘Now they have to find the last bit of creativity. I think we are doing well. Two nil England. You get the group we were in, you get Slovakia, you’re on the right side of the group. You have to hope now.

Both Lineker (left) and Richards (right) expect England to qualify for the quarter-finals

Gareth Southgate’s squad underperformed in the group stage matches at the European Championship

“I mean, you know, should we be on these teams with the players we have? So on the good side it’s time for us, you know what it is?

‘It’s time that we as players and managers take responsibility and say: we are better than you.

‘Let’s play on the front foot. That’s what we have to do and have that confidence and that arrogance that we see week in and week out.”

But Lineker warned: ‘That has to come from the leader, but he has helped England through most of the games in the knockout stages against weaker opponents. I think we’re all going for England.’