Ben White replaces Alexander-Arnold in England Euro 2020 squad, Deschamps hits back at Mourinho after France jibe

REMEMBER WILL GRIGG?

Some more memories now…

Will Grigg was the star of Euro 2016, but not because of what he did on the pitch for Northern Ireland.

After banging in 25 goals to fire Wigan Athletic to the League One title, Latics fans invented the song ‘Will Grigg’s On Fire’.

The tune went viral and when the striker was selected for Northern Ireland’s squad for the Euros, the fans chanted it throughout.

Grigg didn’t play a single minute in the tournament as his teammates made it to the last 16.

He’s now at Sunderland having spent the second half of the 2020-21 season on loan at MK Dons.

PLAY OUR EUROS GAME

GAZZA’S GOAL

Euro ’96 will always be fondly remembered for Paul Gascoigne’s incredible goal against Scotland.

Will someone have a similar impact for England at Euro 2020?

WHAT’S EDER UP TO?

Remember the last man to score in the Euros?

Eder, who hit the winner for Portugal in the 2016 final, is currently playing for Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow.

The 33-year-old hasn’t been included in Portugal’s squad for this summer’s tournament having not played international football since 2018.

He’ll always be an icon for that amazing winner, though.

THE RASHFORD REVOLUTION

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

Kevin De Bruyne will be fit to play for Belgium at Euro 2020, according to boss Roberto Martinez.

The attacking midfielder’s participation looked doubtful, after being forced off in the Champions League final having been body checked by Antonio Rudiger.

De Bruyne, 29, suffered an orbital fracture to his left eye socket and was in tears as he exited the pitch.

Martinez, 47, said: “The operation took place on Sunday and it went well. He will join the group on Monday and will be with us for the Euros.”

WHITE WINS OUT

If you didn’t see earlier today, Ben White has been called into the England squad for Euro 2020.

The Brighton defender, 23, comes in as the replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool right-back Alexander-Arnold was left ‘gutted’ after injuring his thigh in the closing stages of the warm-up friendly against Austria last week.

That ruled him out of the tournament and he now faces up to six weeks on the sidelines.

And Gareth Southgate chose White to fill the 26th spot in the team.

White will wear the No22 jersey at the tournament, the number originally given to Alexander-Arnold.

NO EXCUSES

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is wary of going home from Euro 2020 empty handed and has issued a stern warning to his team-mates as a result.

He told Eurosport: “We have a PlayStation team but it will remain a PlayStation team if we don’t win a trophy.

“Being world champions and having a team like that, we will be expected to do even more.

“We must remain humble. I want to give this message: it’s not a foregone conclusion. We hear a lot of talk but we keep our feet on the ground.”

ENG-LESS OPTIONS

Gareth Southgate has already admitted the pressure of picking an England squad for a major tournament almost saw him snub the job.

But now he must somehow decide on choosing a starting XI from his 26-strong list of elite-level talent.

Ben White has come in as a late replacement for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold to complete the final group.

Southgate’s two certainties are his captain and striker Harry Kane will lead the line while Jordan Pickford is going to be in goal.

But other than that, there are plenty of different options at the Three Lions boss’ disposal, both in terms of personnel and shape, ahead of their curtain-raiser against Croatia on Sunday…

Check out five possible ways Southgate could choose to set-up via our piece here.

HEAD-ACHE

Steve Clarke revealed taking Billy Gilmour off was purely a precautionary move.

Scotland ran out 1-0 winners in Luxembourg but passed up a host of opportunities to make it more emphatic.

Gilmour was smashed less than half an hour after coming off the bench by a cowardly, aerial Olivier Thill challenge to the head.

It left the youngster in a crumpled heap for a couple of minutes before heading to the sidelines.

But after the match Clarke said: “The good news is he is fine. The doctors took him off as a precaution and we’ll assess him over the next couple of days.

“He’s a tough boy; he’s from Ardrossan! He’s fine. The challenge happened and I didn’t get a good view of it and I am yet to see it back.

“But its one of those things that happen in football. The reaction of the players was good in surrounding to show we are together.

“Let’s not make that the big story. The big story is we are now fully prepared for our first tournament in 23 years.”

SOUTHGATE ON ENGLAND PERFORMANCE

GREAL DEAL

SunSport’s Duncan Wright has delivered his England player ratings…

SAM JOHNSTONE – 7 Wayward early kick, but couple of smart low saves on debut. Then saved well with his feet – before stunning stop to deny equaliser.

BEN GODFREY – 6 Capable display at the back, pushed forward to link up in attack. Steady full debut overall.

BEN WHITE – 7 Calm in possession, looked more assured than defensive partner Mings. Impressive full debut.

TYRONE MINGS – 5 Lapse in concentration in first 30 seconds highlighted fears about ability at highest level. Didn’t improve much afterwards.

LUKE SHAW – 6 Switched off twice to allow Romania in, pushed forward at every possibility. Steady without impressing.

KALVIN PHILLIPS – 6 Pressured well out of possession, quiet on the ball. Went about job without fuss and will be reliable if needed.

JAMES WARD-PROWSE – 8 Busy on and off the ball, excellent in possession and made late claim to manager for selection. Set piece delivery an added bonus.

JADON SANCHO – 7 Looked dangerous from the off, unlucky with shot against bar. Came short too often as England struggled to create.

JACK GREALISH – 8 Ignored the rough challenges to grow in influence, won the penalty and looked biggest threat for England.

MARCUS RASHFORD – 6 Not helped by making runs but not being spotted. Shot wide after one trademark burst, but held nerve to score from spot.

DOMINIC CALVERT-LEWIN – 6 Unlucky with fine header against bar, but should have scored from close range in second half. Quiet display.

RASH DECISION

ENGLAND will ‘win more’ with Jack Grealish in the starting XI.

That is the opinion of Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.

The forward, 23, told ITV: “Jack is a great player. He will grow and grow in an England shirt.

“We know what he can do. It is about us all working so that he can realise that potential in an England shirt.

“We will win more games with him in the team.”

HERE WE GO

England are the 9/2 favourites for Euro 2020 after playing their final warm up again.

England beat Romania on Sunday and did enough to impress the punters.

England were priced at 5/1 to bring football home this summer with Betfair, and have since moved from 4/1 to 9/2 with confidence in Gareth Southgate’s side.

France, who were originally favourites are priced at 5/1 now.

Belgium and Spain are next in the betting list at 13/2 and 7/1 while Germany are 15/2 and Italy 8/1.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal are as long as 9/1. 

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

Kevin De Bruyne will be fit to play for Belgium at Euro 2020, according to boss Roberto Martinez.

The attacking midfielder’s participation looked doubtful, after being forced off in the Champions League final having been body checked by Antonio Rudiger.

De Bruyne, 29, suffered an orbital fracture to his left eye socket and was in tears as he exited the pitch.

Martinez, 47, said: “The operation took place on Sunday and it went well. He will join the group on Monday and will be with us for the Euros.”

WHITE NOISE

Brighton defender Ben White has given his reaction to being called up to the England squad following Trent Alexander-Arnold’s injury

He tweeted: “Beyond proud and honoured! I’ll give it my everything.”

The former Leeds loanee enjoyed a fine season for the Seagulls, his debut Premier League campaign, picking up the club’s player of the year award.

The Dorset-born star made his senior Three Lions debut as a substitute in holding midfield against Austria before starring at centre-back in the win over Romania yesterday.

White was named in the provisional 33-man squad by Southgate.

But he was one of the seven axed from that list for the final 26 alongside Aaron Ramsdale, Ben Godfrey, Jesse Lingard, James Ward-Prowse, Mason Greenwood and Ollie Watkins.

However, with Alexander-Arnold crocked, Southgate had time to make a switch.

He still has three right-backs available so opted for White, who has proven in his two caps his versatility in the middle.

ACTOR RANT

Laurence Fox wants England’s ‘millionaire woke babies’ to be dumped out of Euro 2020 and claims he is ’embarrassed to be British’.

The actor, 43, went on an astonishing Twitter rant after England fans were slammed for booing players taking the knee.

The former DS Hathaway actor in Lewis said: “I’m embarrassed to be British. I hope any team but ours wins in any future sporting endeavour.

“Tell me a single thing to moderate my thinking? Millionaire woke babies protesting inequality on two hundred grand a week.

“We deserve everything that is coming. Weak men. Weak.

“My prayers are with Croatia, The Czech Republic and Scotland. Knock these woke English babies out.”

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

Marcus Rashford capped one of the proudest days of his career by grabbing the winner in Gareth Southgate’s final Euro2020 warm-up.

Aged 23 years and 218 days, he became the youngest player to start a match as England captain since Michael Owen against Slovakia in June 2003. That match was also at the Riverside Stadium.

Rashford scored from the spot in the 68th minute after Jack Grealish had been fouled by Tiberiu Capusa. Jordan Henderson, playing his first game in February, then wasted a chance to make it 2-0 by missing a penalty.

Whether Rashford did enough to force his way into Gareth Southgate’s starting XI for the opening match against Croatia next Sunday remains to be seen.

HAZARD STAY

Eden Hazard will remain at Real Madrid for the start of next season, teammate Thibaut Courtois has revealed.

The former Chelsea forward has been linked with a move back to Stamford Bridge following an awful couple of years in Spain.

But Courtois, who is currently with Belgium teammate Hazard as the national team prepare for Euro 2020, has confirmed the 30-year-old is staying at Real Madrid and tipped him to answer critics in the same way divisive star Gareth Bale did.

Speaking to Le Soir, the keeper said: “I’m 100% sure he’s staying. He doesn’t want to move. Only the Madrid press writes about the desire to leave.

“He wants to continue, play free of injuries and win titles.

“At Real Madrid there is criticism all the time and for everyone. Gareth Bale was criticized, but he won the Champions League and scored a double in the final in Kyiv.

“We all know that in Madrid there is pressure and criticism from the press and the fans. But Eden can handle that. I know him well enough to say it. He can still change everything.

“He still wants to be an important player for Madrid and win titles.”

HEN DON’T

Jordan Henderson wrestled the ball from Dominic Calvert-Lewin to take England’s second penalty, before fluffing his lines from the spot.

The Liverpool captain made his Three Lions return from the bench against Romania, having not appeared for club or country since February.

Henderson, 30, wanted to mark his comeback with a goal – taking the ball from Calvert-Lewin after the striker was fouled by Vlad Chiriches in the box.

The midfielder messed up his big moment, however, having his penalty saved by Florin Nita.

WHITE WINS

Ben White has been called into the England squad for Euro 2020.

The Brighton defender, 23, comes in as the replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool right-back Alexander-Arnold was left ‘gutted’ after injuring his thigh in the closing stages of the warm-up friendly against Austria last week.

That ruled him out of the tournament and he now faces up to six weeks on the sidelines.

And Gareth Southgate chose White to fill the 26th spot in the team.

White will wear the No22 jersey at the tournament, the number originally given to Alexander-Arnold.

VIRUS SERG

Spain’s Euro 2020 preparations have been hit after captain Sergio Busquets tested positive for coronavirus.

The Barcelona midfielder led the team in a friendly against Portugal on Friday but contracted the virus over the weekend and will now enter a period of self-isolation.

The rest of the squad all tested negative, but the players and staff who were in close contact with the 32-year-old must also quarantine.

Spain, who open their European Championship campaign against Sweden next Monday, are set to play their final friendly against Lithuania on Tuesday.

The game will still go ahead, but under-21s manager Luis De la Fuente will take charge and use players from his squad.

KEEP CALM & HARRY ON

England stumbled to victory in their last game before the Euros – but thankfully the best is still to come from Gareth Southgate’s side.

Southgate criticised the team’s limp display against Romania but with six days until their big kick-off the Three Lions look set to step up a level.

Jordan Henderson got better as the game went on in his first game for three months while Harry Maguire is back running to boost the defensive options before the Croatia clash.

KANTE BE FUN

Kai Havertz is dreading facing Chelsea team-mate N’Golo Kante from the opposite side of the pitch next week.

Havertz is on duty for Germany, who kick-off their Euro 2020 campaign against Kante’s France on Tuesday, June 15.

And the German said: ‘He is a great personality and a great footballer.

“As an attacking player, I’m always happy when he is on the pitch. You can make a lot of mistakes because he always wins the ball back.

“He’s fast, agile and always gets his leg in.

“That’s why it’s not so nice to have to play against him in the first match of the European Championship, of course.”

GOOD MORNING FOOTBALL FANS

Spain’s Euro 2020 preparations have been hit after captain Sergio Busquets tested positive for coronavirus.

The Barcelona midfielder led the team in a friendly against Portugal on Friday but contracted the virus over the weekend and will now enter a period of self-isolation.

The rest of the squad all tested negative, but the players and staff who were in close contact with the 32-year-old must also quarantine.

Spain’s first game will still go ahead, but Under-21s manager Luis De la Fuente will take charge and use players from his squad.

In England news, Marcus Rashford has described the feeling of captaining England for the first time as ‘unexplainable’.

Rashford wore the armband as England beat Romania 1-0 at The Riverside in their final warm up game ahead of Euro 2020, with the attacker marking the occasion by scoring the only goal from the penalty spot.

Rashford wrote on Twitter: “I’ve always been in the mindset that you don’t need an armband to be a leader on the pitch but I can’t lie, this feeling is unexplainable. Thank you England what an honour.”

Elsewhere, Kevin De Bruyne will be fit to play for Belgium at Euro 2020, according to boss Roberto Martinez.

The attacking midfielder’s participation looked doubtful, after being forced off in the Champions League final having been body checked by Antonio Rudiger.

De Bruyne, 29, suffered an orbital fracture to his left eye socket and was in tears as he exited the pitch.

Martinez, 47, said: “The operation took place on Sunday and it went well. He will join the group on Monday and will be with us for the Euros.”