Michael Owen claims Chelsea star should start for England ahead of Arsenal rival
Michael Owen discussed how England should line up at Euro 2024 (Picture: YouTube)
Michael Owen believes Chelsea’s Cole Palmer should start for England at Euro 2024 ahead of Arsenal star Bukayo Saka.
Palmer is enjoying a stunning season at Stamford Bridge, scoring 21 goals and providing nine assists in 30 Premier League games.
Chelsea signed the 22-year-old from Manchester City last summer for £40m and that is increasingly looking like a bargain, with Palmer establishing himself as one of the stars of the Premier League.
Palmer made two appearances for England last year and was selected in Gareth Southgate’s most recent squad, only for a niggle to prevent him from featuring in the March friendlies against Brazil or Belgium.
Ex-England striker Owen has been amazed by Palmer’s form in west London and says he would be one of the first names on the team sheet if he was selecting the England team ahead of this summer’s Euros.
Owen even believes Palmer deserves to start over Arsenal winger Saka, who has enjoyed another productive season for the Premier League title challengers.
‘I would now start Cole Palmer over Bukayo Saka,’ Owen told Gambling Zone. ‘I don’t think you can ignore Palmer’s form and quality any longer.
Cole Palmer has enjoyed a brilliant season for Chelsea (Picture: Getty)
‘I had him in my squad a few months ago but now he’s one of the best players in the Premier League. He might even get player of the year, possibly the Golden Boot, and that’s in a struggling team.
‘So he’s now a must in my mind. I would play him on the right. I’d have Foden and him, one on the right and one central, then have Rice as a lone number 6, then Bellingham and Foden as 8s stroke 10s and Cole on the right.
‘But at periods of the game I’d swap them around. Keep them two fluid. Have your left side player as your pacy outlet, then Harry Kane is obviously up front.
‘I don’t think Gareth Southgate will do that, I’m certain he will go with two 6s which I don’t think is the right thing to do.
‘If he goes with two 6s it’s likely to be Kobbie Mainoo with Declan Rice, so then you will have to bring out a Palmer or a Foden, or both because he may play Saka instead.
‘But it’s almost unthinkable that you couldn’t have Foden and Palmer in your team, they are two of our best three or four players.
Gareth Southgate will lead England at Euro 2024 (Picture: Getty)
‘It is a challenge to fit them all in but in my team you do fit them all in, although Saka would miss out which is not easy to do. But he can still play a big part. If the final was tomorrow, I would put Palmer in the team.’
While Palmer’s Chelsea have little to play for in the Premier League – a surprising, late run into the top-four appears beyond them – the ex-Man City star is chasing Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot.
Haaland pulled four goals clear of Palmer as he netted a first-half hat-trick and scored again after half-time in Manchester City’s 5-1 win over Wolves on Saturday.
The England men’s side are still searching for their first major trophy since 1966, having reached the Euro 2020 final and the semi-finals of the Qatar World Cup.
The Three Lions have landed in Group C for Euro 2024, which takes place in Germany from 14 June – 14 July, alongside Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia.
England kick-start their Euros campaign on June 16 against Serbia, before facingDenmark four days later and Slovenia on June 25.
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