England’s head coach Gareth Southgate will be hoping to keep the dream alive today (Picture: Getty)
England fans will have leapt at the prospect of a Euro 2024 quarter-final clash with Switzerland prior to this summer’s tournament, but there is no doubting which team has played the better football in Germany.
The Three Lions – in pursuit of a first major trophy in 58 years – have been dismal for the most part and appeared on the verge of a last-16 exit before Jude Bellingham found the net with a sublime bicycle kick to force extra time against Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen.
Captain Harry Kane headed home what proved to be a decisive goal as England scraped through by the skin of their teeth, but Gareth Southgate knows his players can ill afford to slip up again.
The England boss has a number of selection problems to address, chiefly the fitness of Luke Shaw and the absence of Marc Guehi, who serves a one-game ban after picking up a second booking last time out.
With Guehi missing, Southgate is expected to switch his formation and opt for a back-three – and Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa is set to be given the nod alongside John Stones and Kyle Walker. This will see Kieran Trippier start in a more familiar role of right wing-back, while Bukayo Saka is in line to play at left wing-back.
England’s opponents have been one of the surprise packages of the European Championships, emerging from the group stage with an undefeated record before dumping out the holders, Italy, in the round of 16.
The Group A runners-up are hopeful their midfield talisman Granit Xhaka will be able to shake off a muscle problem to feature in Dusseldorf.