Paul Scholes makes 'obsessed' comment about Gareth Southgate's leaked team selection for Slovenia game

Paul Scholes made a barbed comment in reaction to Gareth Southgate's team selection for England's final Euro 2024 group match.

On Tuesday evening England will close out the group phase of their Euro 2024 campaign with a clash with Slovenia in Cologne.

While the Three Lions are practically assured of a place in the last-16, victory is needed to guarantee top spot in Group C and get supporters onside after two underwhelming performances.

Gareth Southgate has been criticised by fans and pundits for the way he set up his team in the 1-0 defeat of Serbia and the 1-1 draw with Denmark, particularly his selection of Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield.

While the Liverpool right-back often pushes into midfield when his club side is in possession, he has precious little experience playing as an out-and-out midfielder.

Southgate has admitted that deploying the 25-year-old in that role was an experiment, but the manager is set to drop him for Tuesday's meeting with Slovenia.

On Monday David Ornstein leaked Southgate's decision to drop Alexander-Arnold in favour of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher.

Though there have been widespread calls for the Liverpool man to be dropped, many fans wanted to see Kobbie Mainoo come into the side rather than Gallagher.

Paul Scholes posted a cryptic message on Instagram. [@paulscholesaaa]

Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes is a member of that camp, and he took to Instagram to share his displeasure at Southgate's decision.

The 49-year-old wrote on his Instagram story: "Why are we obsessed with energy when we should be obsessed with the brain."

Though Scholes didn't mention Mainoo or Gallagher directly, it seems fairly obvious that he was referring to them.

Gallagher has earned himself a reputation as an all-action midfielder since becoming a Premier League regular, while this season 19-year-old Mainoo has shown he has a footballing brain and intelligence well beyond his years.

As a United legend and a former midfielder renowned for his technical ability and football brain, perhaps it's not surprising that Scholes would rather see Mainoo start ahead of Gallagher. He's certainly not the only one.