England XI vs Slovakia: Predicted lineup, confirmed Euro 2024 team news and injury latest

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Evening Standard

·28 giugno 2024

England XI vs Slovakia: Predicted lineup, confirmed Euro 2024 team news and injury latest

Luke Shaw set to return to squad but may not start last-16 tie

Gareth Southgate is expected to have Luke Shaw back in contention for England’s Euro 2024 last-16 meeting with Slovakia.

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Shaw has been sidelined since mid-February because of a hamstring injury and did not play a single minute during the group stage but has returned to training this week.

Whether the Manchester United defender is fit to start seems unlikely given the length of his absence but his return, even off the bench, would be a boost to Southgate, whose team have struggled for balance without a specialist left-back.

Kieran Trippier, who has started all three matches so far in the position, trained separately from the main group on Thursday, as did midfielder Declan Rice. However, both players are understood to be fit, with their absences down to workload management.

Phil Foden, though, is a doubt to start the game having flown back to the UK to be at the birth of his third child. He returned on Friday to give himself a good chance of making the XI.

England hope the Manchester City star will feature against Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen but Southgate may be reluctant to start a player who has missed training sessions.

Anthony Gordon would be the obvious candidate to start in Foden’s place on the left, but Cole Palmer is also pushing to be involved after a bright cameo against Slovenia on Tuesday night.

Any fears that Gordon suffered an injury when falling off his bike on an off-day at the camp have been calmed, with defender Marc Guehi saying: “He fell off his bike! The boys went out on a bike ride, I actually wasn’t there. I was actually talking to him and wasn’t paying attention, then I turned around and saw it. But he’s okay, he’s good. He’s doing well.”

Kobbie Mainoo came on at half-time in that game and could replace Conor Gallagher in the starting XI as England’s search for a midfield partner for Rice continues.

Predicted England XI: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Mainoo, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane

Doubts: Shaw, Foden

Time and date: 5pm BST, Sunday June 30, 2024

Venue: AufSchalke Arena, Gelsenkirchen

TV channel: ITV1