ENGLAND will seal their place in the knockout stages with a win over Denmark on Thursday evening.
Gareth Southgate’s men kicked off their Euro 2024 campaign with a 1-0 victory over Serbia thanks to an inspired performance from Jude Bellingham.
Denmark could not muster a victory of their own just hours earlier as they drew 1-1 with Slovenia.
It means their clash with England becomes even more important as they eye a spot in the second round.
Failure to beat the Three Lions could leave Denmark outside the top two spots ahead of their final group game against Serbia.
Defeat and a Slovenia win over Serbia would put Denmark thoroughly on the back foot.
And they will be the underdogs heading into this one, despite England’s somewhat flat display in Gelsenkirchen.
First place in the group will secure a last-16 tie against a third-place finisher, so it is there for England to clinch a smoother path towards the quarter-finals.
But can they maintain their 100 per cent start in Frankfurt?
Here is everything you need to know ahead of the game.
Most read in Euro 2024
EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERS
What is their form like?
Eriksen’s strike gave Denmark the perfect start to their Euros campaign against Slovenia.
But they ended up holding on towards the end, a tactic that proved costly when Erik Janza pounced to equalise late on.
England come into the game knowing three points could seal top spot in the group.
But they will almost certainly need to improve on their performance against Serbia.
Southgate’s men were criticised for dropping deeper in the second half and relinquishing control of the game – something that needs addressing if they have serious hopes of winning the tournament.
What is the team news and any injuries to worry about?
Denmark pair Christian Norgaard and Mathias Jensen are two players pushing to force their way into the Danes’ starting line-up following a disappointing draw to Slovenia.
Morten Hjulmand and Jonas Wind could be the pair to make way.
Captain Simon Kjaer may also come back into the fold after being rested for the opener.
England are not expected to make any changes from the XI that began the win over Serbia.
Luke Shaw is still not set to be ready to start the game, though he could come off the bench.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden should keep their places ahead of competition from Conor Gallagher, Eberechi Eze and Anthony Gordon.
Who will be the star men?
Christian Eriksen
Eriksen proved against Slovenia that he remains the Danes’ main man.
Everything runs through the Manchester United midfielder when they go forward and they will need him to be their source of creativity against England.
But at the age of 32 it remains to be seen whether he has the physical capabilities to perform at a high level every few days.
Jude Bellingham
Bellingham’s performance against Serbia was one of the standout in the tournament so far.
The England man controlled the game in the first half, scoring and involving himself in everything positive that Southgate’s men created.
But the Denmark game will be his 50th for club and country this season, so there is a question mark as to whether he can manage his fitness levels as the Euros unfold.
What have the managers said?
Speaking after the win over Serbia, England boss Southgate said: “I thought physically we had players that needed the game. We’ve had a lot of players that hadn’t played 90 minutes for a long time.
“We expended a lot of energy in that first half. I knew that we would dip. And it was a good moment to bring Conor [Gallagher] into the game, who can get up to the ball and provide that bit more defensive solidity at that time.
“There’s obviously a lot of new players, young players, so the team that started was a very experienced team in terms of international and club bar Marc, really, who had a brilliant game.
“So we’re just going to have to assess as we go from game to game.”
SunSport prediction
Denmark 0-2 England
When is Denmark vs England?
- England’s second game of Euro 2024 will take place on Thursday, June 20.
- The game will kick off at 5pm BST.
- Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany will play host to the big game.
What channel is it and can it be live streamed?
- Denmark vs England will be shown live on BBC One in the UK.
- You can live stream the action from the BBC iPlayer, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
Can I watch for FREE?
- Yes! You can watch the game for FREE on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer, so long as you have a valid TV licence.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Odds
- Denmark – 9/2
- Draw – 3/1
- England – 8/13
*Odds courtesy of William Hill and correct at time of publication.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
