England take on Wales at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in their final World Cup group match on Tuesday night.
The Three Lions stylishly defeated Iran 6-2 in their opening group match but a goalless draw against the United States of America followed that result. England looked devoid of creativity against the USA and Southgate was criticised for his changes.
Manchester United's Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Manchester City's John Stones have started both group matches, but Phil Foden is yet to play a single minute in Qatar, despite his excellent form leading up to the winter tournament.
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Gareth Southgate used Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish from the bench on Friday night and he explained in his press conference that Foden wasn't brought on in a more central role because he is unfamiliar with playing centrally for City.
Here's how our MEN writers think England should start.
Samuel Luckhurst
The chatter about resting Jude Bellingham is senseless when England should be looking to build a team around him. If the midfield is to be freshened up then withdrawing Declan Rice, sometimes caught between two stools, for Kalvin Phillips or Jordan Henderson is more logical. Phillips gets the edge as he should be more energetic and is a defined defensive midfielder.
Marcus Rashford should come in for Raheem Sterling and if Harry Kane is still moving at a snail's pace then Rashford should go up top with Jack Grealish on the left. It would be hasty to drop Bukayo Saka, especially as England have more verve with inverted wingers.
Kieran Trippier deserved to start the tournament but has contributed little. Kyle Walker is the best right-back in the squad.
Tyrone Marshall
Qualification is basically assured for England ahead of this game and although there is still the spot of group winners' to claim, Southgate has to make changes. Trippier needs a rest at right-back and while there is merit to giving Walker some minutes, his refusal to use Alexander-Arnold remains baffling. If England are chasing a game in the knockout stage he has to come on, so start him here and get him in the rhythm of the tournament.
Phillips is one player in need of minutes who has to start. Bellingham has played less than Rice this season, so the West Ham man can rest, with Bellingham's greater attacking impetus also valuable. I'd start Mount, with the proviso that Maddison comes on at some point, maybe at half-time if he is fit enough to play 45 minutes.
There is a temptation to play Foden in midfield, but Southgate is right that he doesn't start there for City. It's just too big a risk while he's playing wide for his club. I would play him on the right, however, with Rashford on the left and Wilson up front. Kane needs a rest and there's five subs available if things start going wrong.
Steven Railston
I was in favour of an unchanged line-up to play America and that's what Southgate picked but his limitations were exposed again when he made the wrong changes. Foden has not played a single minute at the tournament and that is bizarre.
He should start here and replace Mason Mount, who has underwhelmed in the two group matches, although I would pick the same back four, which held out against the USA with an excellent Harry Maguire answering every question that was asked.
Trippier would be the obvious candidate to remove from the back four but his leadership qualities are important to the side and he's a huge asset from dead-ball scenarios, which England have exploited in recent major tournaments.
Sterling was poor against the USA and it makes sense to start Rashford, who will be direct, on the left wing.
Liam Corless
Southgate's loyalty to certain players was both a gift and a curse against the USA. Harry Kane and Mason Mount floundered yet somehow lasted the 90, while Harry Maguire delivered a performance good enough to convince most United fans that an impostor must have infiltrated Carrington around the same time the real Maguire was supposed to return from Euro 2020.
Maguire, Stones and Shaw will invariably make up three quarters of England's strongest back four whenever Southgate sees fit to utilise that system. One senses Kyle Walker is being kept in reserve for those knockout games against tough opposition when a back three is the order of the day.
Walker is the only defender in the squad who has anything like the pace required to keep up with Kylian Mbappe, who could await England in the quarter-finals. Kieran Trippier was uncharacteristically poor on Friday and if Trent Alexander-Arnold can't get a game against Wales with qualification for the knockout phase all but guaranteed, he is unlikely to feature at all in Qatar.
James Maddison was the Premier League's in-form creator when the season paused, while Erik ten Hag has brought Marcus Rashford's United career off life support and Phil Foden is the most technically gifted player in the squad. Kane needs a goal to kickstart his tournament.
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