Gareth Southgate has switched to a back three for England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland.
England have started with a back four throughout this summer’s tournament so far, but changed to a three during the second-half of last weekend’s dramatic last-16 victory over Slovakia.
With a five-day break between the game and this weekend’s in Dusseldorf, Southgate has been experimenting in training this week by trialling a wing-back system and makes the move to match up against the Swiss, who have played a 3-4-2-1 formation for most of their campaign.
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Southgate used a back-three throughout his first tournament in charge, the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and on several occasions at Euro 2020, including in the last-16 win over Germany and the final defeat to Italy.
At this European Championship, England have struggled for width on the left flank in each of their four matches, with the right-footed Kieran Trippier deputising at left-back for the injured Luke Shaw and Phil Foden not a natural wide player at left-wing.
Shaw is back in training and in contention to feature against the Swiss, but it Southgate does not risk the Manchester United defender from the start after almost five months on the sidelines with a hamstring problem.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is instead the left-footed selection on that flank.
The 22-year-old made his Gunners breakthrough as a wing-back as a teenager and while he suggested last week that shifting him from what is now his established post on the right of attack was “not the solution” to England’s problems, Southgate opted to do so as his side chased the game at 1-0 down against Slovakia.
Southgate has opted for Trippier over Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right, with Kyle Walker dropping into the back-three as he has done capably in the past.
One change the Three Lions boss definitely had to make to his side is at centre-back, where Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi is suspended and Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa comes in.
Jude Bellingham is available to play despite receiving a suspended ban from UEFA for his celebration against Slovakia.
England XI: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Konsa; Trippier, Rice, Mainoo, Saka; Foden, Bellingham, Kane
Subs: Ramsdale, Henderson, Shaw, Alexander-Arnold, Dunk, Gallagher, Toney, Gordon, Watkins, Bowen, Eze, Gomez, Palmer, Wharton
Suspended: Guehi
Time and date: 5pm BST today on Saturday, July 6, 2024
Venue: Dusseldorf Arena
Referee: Daniele Orsato (Italy)
TV channel and live stream: BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website
