Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
Sport
Mark White

Euro 2024: England manager Gareth Southgate makes KEY Phil Foden change for Denmark game

Gareth Southgate, Manager of England men's senior team, looks on during a training session at Rockliffe Park on May 30, 2024 in Darlington, England. .

England manager Gareth Southgate has started Euro 2024's clash against Denmark making a clear switch in his thinking with Phil Foden.

The Manchester City star came under massive criticism at the weekend for his perceived poor performance, as he looked to take up similar areas to fellow attacking midfielder, Jude Bellingham. There was talk of whether Foden would even start for England with Anthony Gordon an option to bring in – but Southgate was vehement that the Three Lions would “not have won” their opening game of Euro 2024 without the No.11's off-ball work.

In the opening exchanges against Denmark, however, Foden was clearly hugging the touchline in a way he hadn't at the tournament so far – before coming narrower than before. This was noted by BBC commentator Guy Mowbray and echoed by co-commentator Alan Shearer, who noted his “free role” in England's team.

Phil Foden's wider position – next to the 'BYD' of the hoardings – against Denmark (Image credit: BBC Sport)

Southgate went for the same line-up that started against Serbia, opting for the attacking XI that included Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham in the midfield five behind Harry Kane – though hinted pre-match that his substitutes would play a key role later on against the Danes. 

“We had lots of elements of our game that were good, some that could be better, now it’s about doing it for 90 minutes,” Southgate told ITV before kick-off. “We’re gonna need fresh legs at some point for sure. We’re going to need that squad, definitely.”

More Euro 2024 stories

This is how to watch Euro 2024 live streams from anywhere in the world, while we have a guide on how to get Euro 2024 tickets if you're still looking to go to the tournament. We have the run-down on Euro 2024 stadiums, with info on host cities, capacities, and everything you need to know.

We have a list of the Euro 2024 favourites, with best odds on nations to win European Championship in Germany, while these are the best Euros games ever and these are the best pundits ever. With England set to be one of the favourites, meanwhile, we've analysed what the pathway to the final could look like for the Three Lions

With plenty of favourites for the tournament in 2024, here's a look at the previous records of some of the bigger nations at the tournament.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.