Luke Shaw may have arrived onto the scene at Euro 2024 just in time to lay claim to a place in Gareth Southgate’s starting line-up for their semi-final clash with the Netherlands on Wednesday evening.
The Manchester United left-back was taken to Germany despite not having played since February through injury, with Southgate gambling on Shaw as his only out-and-out left-back in hopes he would be able to play a part once the tournament got under way.
That had to wait until late on in England’s quarter-final clash with Switzerland, however, with Shaw coming off the bench to play a left-back/centre-back hybrid role depending on whether England were in or out of possession.
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'Gareth's man' Luke Shaw could now have key role for England at Euro 2024
Shaw has previously been a vital player for Southgate’s England and even scored an unlikely opener against Italy in the Euro 2020 final.
However, various injury issues meant Shaw had not played for his country for over a year before replacing clubmate Kobbie Mainoo just after Switzerland took the lead 76 minutes into the quarter-final clash in Dusseldorf.
Nonetheless, former England international Frank Lampard believes that Shaw will now start against the Netherlands in the semi-finals if he is fit to do so.
Speaking as a BBC pundit, the former Chelsea midfielder said: “If Luke Shaw is fit, he starts. He’s Gareth’s man. If he’s fit, I would play him for the balance of the team.”
Southgate has started Kieran Trippier on that side in each of England’s five games so far, with Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka also filling in at wing-back during the knockout stages.
Right-footed Trippier has struggled to get crosses into the box from that flank, however, and Lampard thinks Shaw could now provide the ideal solution after making his return.
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