ENGLAND are taking on Slovakia in the last-16 of Euro 2024 RIGHT NOW.
Gareth Southgate has made one change to the side that drew 0-0 with Slovenia last time out, as Kobbie Mainoo replaces Conor Gallagher in midfield.
Jordan Pickford overcame a late injury scare to start between the sticks after he went down grimacing in the warm-up.
A quarter-final place against in-form Switzerland next Saturday is up for grabs in Gelsenkirchen.
- TV channel/ live stream: ITV1/ ITVX
- England team: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier, Rice, Mainoo, Foden, Bellingham, Saka, Kane
- Slovakia team: Dubravka, Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko, Kucka, Lobotka, Duda, Schranz, Strelec, Haraslin
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England 0-0 Slovakia
5. The ball is played into the box but fortunately for England the flag goes up for offside.
It was a half-chance for the Slovaks to ask questions of Jordan Pickford.
As the replay shows, the player who connected with the ball was in fact onside.
Moments later Haraslin has the chance to play the ball across goal but no Slovakia player can get on the end of it.
England 0-0 Slovakia
3. The tactic for the Slovaks this evening will be to get numbers behind the ball and make themselves difficult to break down.
England would feel they have enough of an attacking threat to break down Francesco Calzone’s side.
Guehi is shown an early yellow card for a foul on the halfway line.
Trippier sold him short with a pass, costing him a place in the next game.
England 0-0 Slovakia
1. The fans will be pleased to see Pickford out there for the start.
All concerns about an injury in the warm-up are put to rest.
England look to get a feel for the ball early on with Slovakia not looking to press at all.
Kick-off: England vs Slovakia
We are underway in Gelsenkirchen.
This is a massive game for both teams.
Slovakia get the game started.
Looking to be the Bell of the ball
Jude Bellingham will be hoping to hit the sort of form that he enjoyed in his maiden season at Real Madrid.
He has struggled to make the same impact so far in Germany.
With Mainoo and Rice joining him in midfield, he should have more license to make those lung-bursting runs from midfield to attack this evening.
View from SunSport’s Tom Barclay in Gelsenkirchen
It has been a mixed bag watching England’s shooting drills in the warm-up.
Jude Bellingham has scored a couple of crackers but also dragged a few easy chances wide, same goes for Phil Foden.
Harry Kane’s finishing looked to be on point, as was Kobbie Mainoo’s ahead of the Manchester United teenager’s first start at a major tournament.
Cole Palmer fired in a peach from distance – let’s hope for a repeat if and when he comes on later this evening…
Concerns with keeper in warm-up
Jordan Pickford seemed to damage his hand prior to the game in Gelsenkirchen.
The Everton keeper was seen in some discomfort as he headed back into the changing rooms.
Fans will be hoping that their reliable stopper will be able to start the game against Slovakia this evening.
Quality to carry England through
England fans in Germany are in confident mood prior to kick-off.
Given the gulf in class between the sides, nothing but victory is expected from the fans.
With Switzerland waiting in the quarter-finals, Southgate’s side are expected to ease through without any issues against Slovakia.
England fans in confident mood as Three Lions take on Slovakia in last 16 of Euro 2024History favours Three Lions victory
England have won five of the six previous meetings between the two sides.
The only time they failed to do so was a goalless draw in Euro 2016.
On that occasion, the Three Lions registered 29 shots despite not being able to find the back of the net.
Youngster thriving on big occasion
Kobbie Mainoo would have doubted your sanity if you had told him he would be playing in the heart of midfield for England in a major tournament this summer.
Since breaking into the Man Utd side, he has shone and impressed fans and plaudits alike.
Today Mainoo has the chance to solidify his place in Gareth Southgate’s starting line-up in Euro 2024.
Credit: @England View from SunSport’s Dave Kidd in Gelsenkirchen
GIVEN how badly they have been playing, it’s remarkable that ten of England’s starting XI has been unchanged throughout these Euros.
Kobbie Mainoo replaces Conor Gallagher in midfield in Gareth Southgate’s only change to the side which bored its way to a goalless draw with Slovenia on Tuesday.
Will this last-16 clash be the match when Southgate’s men ignite? Is it going to be an England match in which something worthwhile actually happens?
Because so far it has felt as if there is a tournament going on in this country – with goals and incident and excitement – but that England aren’t actually even part of it.
Slovakia, ranked 45th in the world, defeated Belgium in their VAR-infested opener. But Southgate’s men should have too much quality – although we’ve certainly said that before and been proved wrong.
Fans hoping to see dominant win
One thing you can guarantee with England is that they will always have a big following on the continent.
Fans are in buoyant mood for this ’round of 16′ tie and expecting nothing less than a win from Gareth Southgate’s side.
Slovakia shocked Belgium in the group phase and have nothing to lose going into this match.
View from SunSport’s Dan King in Gelsenkirchen
The dramatic storms in this area which caused the Germany-Denmark game to be suspended have broken the weather – at least a bit.
It’s cooler and less muggy than it has been. One explanation/excuse for England’s sluggish first half against Slovenia in Cologne was the heat.
There is still some moisture in the air and there could be a bit of rain during the game here in Gelsenkirchen.
But nothing like the torrents we saw in Dortmund.
Clutching at reasons to be positive, Slovakia have so far been more front-foot and ambitious in possession than Slovenia or Serbia. But they will retreat into a mid or low block when they lose the ball. England need to move the ball quickly to take advantage of the spaces that Slovakia will leave, before they have time to close them up again.
SunSport columnist reckons Kobbie Mainoo can make the difference in that respect.
We shall see.
Pressure mounting on Southgate
Despite finishing top of the group, many fans and pundits have questioned the manager’s abilities and job.
The Three Lions have failed to impress in Euro 2024 to date and the knockout rounds seem to be where they need to ignite their tournament.
Win or lose, it seems apparent that Gareth Southgate’s time as England manager could be coming to an end.
Slovakia starting XI:
Francesco Calzone looks to keep some stability in his side as they look to upset the odds against England.
1. Dubravka, 16. Hancko, 14. Skriniar, 3. Vavro, 2. Pekarik, 8. Duda, 22. Lobotka, 19. Kucka, 17. Haraslin, 18. Strelec, 26. Schranz
England starting XI:
Gareth Southgate makes one change for the game as Kobbie Mainoo comes into the centre midfield, replacing Conor Gallagher.
1. Pickford, 2. Walker, 6. Guehi, 5. Stones, 12. Trippier, 26. Mainoo, 4. Rice, 10. Bellingham, 7. Saka, 9. Kane, 11. Foden
Credit: @England Atmosphere builds in Gelsenkirchen
SunSport’s Robin Perrie has been speaking with England fans as they prepare for the game against Slovakia.
Despite the negativity surrounding the team of late, spirits are high as the Three Lions try to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Southgate’s side come into this game as massive favourites to progress.
The Sun’s Robin Perrie brings fan build up in Gelsenkirchen as England prepare to take on SlovakiaSlovakia team news
Francesco Calzone is not one to make alterations to his team with Martin Dubravka, Milan Skriniar and Stanislav Lobotka expected to once again be the spine of the team.
Lobotka will be supported by Ondrej Duda and Juraj Kucka, while Boavista striker Robert Bozenik is expected to be joined by Lukas Haraslin and Ivan Schranz up top.
Tomas Suslov has made a real impact from the bench but is not expected to displace Haraslin on the left flank.
Duda and Schranz are both one booking away from a ban, which rule them out of any potential quarter final.
England team news
Luke Shaw has made himself available for this game but after such a long layoff he is unlikely to make the starting line-up.
Kieran Trippier and Declan Rice have been training away from the main squad due to slight niggles and Anthony Gordon suffered facial injuries during the week after falling off a bike.
Phil Foden is back in Germany after travelling home to see his partner after the birth of their third child.
He is one of four players who would miss the quarter final if booked in this game, along with Kieran Trippier, Conor Gallagher and Marc Guehi.
Who will England play in the quarter-finals if they beat Slovakia?
England will take on Switzerland in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 if they beat Slovakia in the last-16 today.
The Swiss comfortably beat Italy 2-0 on Saturday afternoon to progress to the quarters.
Should England get through, they will face Switzerland on Saturday, July 6 at Dusseldorf’s Merkur Spiel-Arena.
The match would kick off at 5pm BST.
Predicted England line-up for Slovakia
Gareth Southgate is expected to make just one change to the side for this afternoon’s last-16 clash against Slovakia.
Kobbie Mainoo is expected to start in place of Conor Gallagher in midfield.
Phil Foden is set to take up the position on the left of England’s attack despite flying back to the UK for the birth of his third child earlier this week.
What has been said?
Speaking after Tuesday’s disappointing match against Slovenia, England manager Gareth Southgate said: “I’m not going to back away from it, The most important thing is the supporters stay with the team.”
He continued: “I understand the narrative towards me and that’s better for the team than it being towards them.
“But it is creating an unusual environment to operate in. I’ve not seen any other team qualify and receive similar.
“I understand it, I’m not going to back away from it, but I’m very proud of the players for how they’re operating within it.”
Credit: Getty Slovakia star man
Slovakia winger Ivan Schranz is currently joint second in the Euro 2024 Golden Boot race with two goals.
He scored the winner against Belgium in Slovakia’s opening match and netted his second of the tournament versus Ukraine.
Credit: Getty What is Slovakia’s form like?
Slovakia made it through to the knockouts as one of the best third-placed teams in the group stages.
The Falcons got a win, a draw and suffered one defeat in Group E and finished on the same amount of points as Belgium, Ukraine and Romania.
Credit: Rex Early team news
Kobbie Mainoo will make his first Euros start in England’s last-16 tie with Slovakia.
Conor Gallagher, who Mainoo replaced at half-time on Tuesday, drops to the bench in the only change from England’s final Group C match.
Meanwhile, Kieran Trippier has been passed fit to start in Gelsenkirchen.
The Newcastle right-back, 33, has been nursing a calf injury this week but trained with the rest of the 26-man squad today and is ready to start again.
With Luke Shaw, who has not played since February, lacking match sharpness, Ezri Konsa had been on standby.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
