Euro 2020 - Gary Neville picks his England XI for Germany showdown at Wembley - will Gareth Southgate agree?
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Published 24/06/2021 at 09:05 GMT
Gary Neville has picked his England XI for the last-16 showdown with Germany. England take on their old rivals at Wembley next Tuesday and Neville is confident the Three Lions can nullify Germany's key threats. He has called for Bukayo Saka to be included in a front three and for Harry Maguire to keep his place for the game.
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Gary Neville believes Bukayo Saka should start against Germany as the pundit revealed his England XI to take on Germany.
England will face their old rivals at Wembley in the last 16 of Euro 2020 and the two sides appear evenly matched after inconsistent performances in the group stages.
Leon Goretzka’s late equaliser against Hungary not only spared Germany’s blushes, but saved their Euro 2020 campaign to ensure they finished second in Group F.
Neville is convinced England can exploit Germany’s weaknesses by matching their formation and playing a back five with wing-backs.
Kyle Walker, John Stones and Harry Maguire would make up Neville’s back three, with Reece James and Luke Shaw operating as wing-backs.
Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips keep their place in midfield in Neville’s XI but there is a surprise up front as Saka is selected alongside Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane.
Saka won man of the match in his first start at Euro 2020 against the Czech Republic, but there is no place for Jack Grealish in Neville’s team.
Neville also explained he would want Saka and Sterling to stay higher in the channels against Germany and would like to see Rice and Phillips keep close tabs on Toni Kroos and Ilkay Gundogan.
Jack Wilshere was quick to reply to Neville’s England XI, questioning why Phil Foden and Grealish don’t make the mark.
He said: “No Grealish or Foden. England’s most talented/creative. At least one has to play! Probably Grealish to help us retain the ball and carry it up the pitch.”
England will have home advantage against Germany with the game at Wembley, but the Three Lions have bad memories against the Germans in tournaments.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Neville admitted England will need to be at the top of their game to beat Germany.
“The reality will kick in for these players later on in the week, they have a giant of a game on Tuesday,” he said.
It's an event in itself and one which would elevate confidence beyond belief if they were to win. But to win those games against a team like France or Germany takes something really special and spectacular.
"We would be massive underdogs against France, against Germany we have an opportunity, Portugal even more so.
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“You cannot go more than a 50-50 chance against Germany and Portugal, for France I'd go 70-30 against, that is not being negative or pessimistic, it's realistic.
"Look at the France team sheet and tell me how many England players would get in ahead of Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante, Karim Benzema, Raphael Varane.
“They have a damn good team. All of England's potential opponents have good players and while we should be confident we have to realise our opponents will be confident as well and that it will be tough to win."
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