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Three Ways England Could Line Up Against Scotland

Three Ways England Could Line Up Against Scotland

Gareth Southgate has some serious selection decisions to make as England take on Scotland

Robert Mann

Robert Mann

England will be looking to make it back-to-back wins at this summer's European Championship when they host rivals Scotland at Wembley Stadium on Friday night.

The Three Lions opened their Euro 2020 campaign with an impressive 1-0 win over 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia.

Scotland, meanwhile, succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to the Czech Republic, with Steve Clarke's men now having ground to make up in Group D.

Gareth Southgate has a near fully-fit England squad to choose from
Gareth Southgate has a near fully-fit England squad to choose from

Realistically, Scotland need a result in London to stand a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages - but they face stiff opposition against one of the competition favourites.

England's 26-man squad is packed full of attacking potential, with the likes of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho at Gareth Southgate's disposal.

And with the Three Lions among the favourites to win the competition, some might say that a final on July 11 - held at Wembley - could very well be written in the stars.

Manchester United captain and England regular Harry Maguire is in the squad, but faces a race to get match fit for the group stages.

Maguire is Southgate's first pick at centre-half when fit, but Tyone Mings impressed against Croatia.

With that said, it is believed Southgate will stick with the same back four on Friday, including Kieran Trippier at left-back.

Jordan Henderson is also pushing to return to the side after injury, but Southgate is unlikely to break up the midfield pair of Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips.

Raheem Sterling justified his inclusion and suggested his patchy form with Manchester City may not carry over to the national team.

Southgate's toughest decision will be who to pick between Foden and Grealish.

Meanwhile, while Harry Kane, one of the world's best strikers, and Mason Mount are players who will already have their name engraved in the starting team sheet.

How we predict England will line up

Formation: 4-3-3

Line-up: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Mings, Trippier; Phillips, Rice, Mount; Foden, Sterling, Kane.

Based on England's stellar performance against Croatia on Sunday, we think Gareth Southgate will stick with an unchanged Three Lions side.

The obvious loser is Jack Grealish, which won't please fans, but Southgate isn't one to pander to fans desires.

If Southgate makes changes

Formation: 4-3-3

Line-up: Pickford; James, Stones, Mings, Shaw; Rice, Phillips, Mount; Foden, Sterling; Kane.

Alternatively, reports suggest Southgate could make changes at full back, with Reece James and Luke Shaw coming in for Walker and Trippier. The rest of the side remains the same as a win would allow England to rest players for their last game, safe in the knowledge they'll be through to the last 16.

How England could line-up with three at the back

Formation: 3-4-3

Line-up: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Mings; Trippier, Chilwell; Rice, Mount; Foden, Sterling, Kane

Southgate's other option is to play a three at the back, which he may favour due to Maguire's injury and to match Scotland's favoured formation.

This means playing Ben Chilwell and Kieran Trippier could play as wingbacks and Walker in the back three.

Alternatively, reports suggest Luke Shaw and Reece James played in a back three during practice sessions. Given rumours suggest James and Shaw will play tonight, it's possible they could play in a back three as well.

England's squad in full

Goalkeepers: Aaron Ramsdale, Sam Johnstone, Jordan Pickford

Defenders: Ben Chilwell, Conor Coady, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Ben White, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice

Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho, Raheem Sterling

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Topics:聽Euro 2020, England, Scotland