- Gareth Southgate expected to make changes for tomorrow’s clash
- Gary Neville has revealed the XI he believes should become the Three Lions’ starting XI
- Listen to It’s all about to begin! EUROS DAILY: How Gareth Southgate compares to Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
Gary Neville has revealed his preferred starting line-up for England as they prepare for tomorrow’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland.
Gareth Southgate is expected to make a number of changes to his squad after the team convincingly beat Slovakia in extra time in the round of 16 last week.
The manager’s drastic new plan is likely to see him switch formations and instead play with three defenders, as well as make at least two changes to his line-up.
Kyle Walker, John Stones and Ezri Konsa will form the new defensive line, with the latter replacing the suspended Marc Guehi.
Trent Alexander-Arnold could then start at right wing-back, with Bukayo Saka on the other flank and Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo in a double-pivot position.
Gareth Southgate to make changes for England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final
The Three Lions take on Switzerland with a place in the last four of the tournament at stake.
However, Neville believes Southgate should also drop two big attackers.
The analyst reveals his ideal starting XI for the match and hopes the Three Lions stick to their 4-2-3-1 system, with Konsa starting alongside Stones.
At right-back, he has appointed Alexander-Arnold, who started in midfield in the opening two group games and had mixed results, at right-back and Kyle Walker at left-back.
Neville is also adamant that Mainoo and Rice should retain their places in midfield, while captain Harry Kane and Jordan Pickford have also been included in his team.
In a significant shake-up along the front line, Neville would not start Phil Foden, with England golden boy Jude Bellingham instead retaining the No 10 role.
But Gary Neville believes two big attackers should be dropped before the match
Neville would start Cole Palmer (right) over Bukayo Saka (left) on the right
On the wings, Neville has opted for Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon, both players seeing their playing time limited despite the team’s problems in Germany.
Naturally, Saka would then also end up on the bench.
In preparation for the likely change in formation this weekend, Stones has stressed that he does not believe the decision carries as much risk as some may think.
“We’ve done it before in previous tournaments,” he said. “Germany, I remember, at the last European Championship. Before that in 2018 (at the World Cup).
“I think it’s great to have this in the vault, just in case we need to employ that system.
‘It’s something we as a team can’t underestimate, that we can do it so easily and seamlessly and that it clicks so well.
‘We have one more (training session) before the game and hopefully we can fine-tune some of the things we’ve been working on over the last few days and see where that takes us.’