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Four Of The Telegraph's Top Writers Predicted England's Euro 2020 XI

Four Of The Telegraph's Top Writers Predicted England's Euro 2020 XI

Some interesting choices all-round...

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

England fell a little short at the semi-final stage after a very good World Cup campaign but there's reason to be optimistic for the next couple of years.

The squad of 23 for the showpiece in Russia is the youngest England have ever had for the World Cup and when you consider some of the jewels coming through the youth ranks from Under 17's onwards, things bode very well for the future and we should be excited about what could be in the pipeline, starting with Euro 2020.

And ahead of the next Euros, which will be held across 12 countries and sees the semi-finals and final at Wembley, four of The Telegraph's leading writers have had a guess as to how England might line up for the tournament should they qualify as expected.

Image: PA
Image: PA

These type of things normally come back to bite you on the arse in about 5-10 years time, much like the famous Daily Mail prediction of what England's team for the future would look like way back in 2007.

But most of the XIs here look fairly realistic if you ask me, with a lot of constants from the current crop.

Sam Wallace went with for a 3-3-2-2 formation comprising of only one change from the first choice starting eleven we have seen throughout this year's World Cup; Fulham hot-shot Ryan Sessegnon coming in at left wing-back.

Pickford
Walker, Stones, Maguire
Trippier, Henderson, Sessegnon
Lingard, Dele Alli
Sterling, Kane

Paul Hayward had more or less the same side and system, except he had Spurs midfielder Harry Winks in for Jesse Lingard, in addition to making the somewhat surprise inclusion of Arsenal's Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the left side.

Paul Hayward (3-5-2)
Pickford
Walker, Stones, Maguire
Trippier, Winks, Henderson, Dele Alli, Maitland-Niles
Sterling, Kane

Conversely, Matt Law put Joe Gomez in at the heart of the defence, as well as being one of three writers to have a place for PFA Young Player of the Year Sessegnon. He reckons Loftus-Cheek will be of a regular starter in two years.

Matt Law (3-4-3)
Pickford
Gomez, Stones, Maguire
Trippier, Loftus-Cheek, Henderson, Sessegnon
Sterling, Kane, Dele Alli

Then we finish off with Jason Burt's team and it's fair to say that his is a lot more out there. He's gone with a 4-2-3-1 formation that has Trent Alexander-Arnold and Sessegnon as full-backs and a midfield pairing containing Chelsea youth products Nathaniel Chalobah and Loftus-Cheek.

An exciting trident of Dele Alli and Under 17 World Cup heroes Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho plays behind Harry Kane.

Jason Burt (4-2-3-1)
Pickford
Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Maguire, Sessegnon
Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah
Foden, Alli, Sancho
Kane

Pickford, Stones, Alli and Kane would appear to be the spine of the side going off these predictions as all feature in every side.

How do you think England will line up in two years time?

Sound off in the comments.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, Football, Euro 2020, England, Gareth Southgate