Has Gareth Southgate stumbled across England's best XI? Three youngsters MUST start against Slovakia, insists CRAIG HOPE

The road to Berlin - free of the juggernauts on the other side of the autobahn - can be navigated, if the manager follows the signposts.

He got there by stumbling down blind alleys and crawling back out again, but in emerging from the darkness of the group stage, Gareth Southgate has surely found the light to put England on the right path.

Save for the opening 30 minutes against Serbia — when England flew and Jude Bellingham wore a cape — the best they have played was in the closing minutes of Tuesday’s goalless draw with Slovenia.

It might not have felt like that amid another putrid performance that hung heavy on a sticky summer’s night in Cologne, but there was an air of relief at seeing England attack with pace, incision and energy, albeit briefly.

And how? Well, Southgate belatedly turned to a pair in Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon who he had thus far kept in the shadows. Include half-time introduction Kobbie Mainoo, and there you have the trident — average age 21 — whose enthusiasm shook England from their early-tournament slumber.

Southgate has looked lost and increasingly confused at times here in Germany, but all is not lost for England. The road to Berlin — free of the juggernauts on the other side of the autobahn — can be navigated, if the manager follows the signposts. And, right now, they are pointing to Palmer, Mainoo and Gordon.

Gareth Southgate introduced three young substitutes in Tuesday's draw with Slovenia - including Cole Palmer (left) in one of the match's only bright spots

The substitution of Palmer as well as Anthony Gordon (centre) helped rejuvenate the side

Kobbie Mainoo (pictured) was brought on at half-time for Connor Gallagher as Southgate sought to solve his midfield puzzle

He does not have to start them all, but Gordon at the very least has earned the role of first ‘finisher’, as Southgate calls his subs, and one worthy of far more than the two minutes plus stoppage time he got against Slovenia.

Even so, that was all the Newcastle winger needed to prove his worth. He immediately made one key pass that led to a chance for Palmer, and that was more than Bellingham and Bukayo Saka managed in a combined 160 minutes.

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But even without the numbers, your eyes told you of the difference the changes had made. Gordon dribbled, Mainoo executed a delightful playground flick and Palmer slipped a cute ball in behind, all in contrast to the leaden feet and loitering minds of earlier.

Gordon replaced Foden — it should have been Bellingham — and how the Manchester City playmaker must have wished he was still out there to bounce off the bouncy ones. He and Bellingham aren’t just not clicking, it feels as if they’re clashing.

Gordon and Palmer, meanwhile, are said to have grown closer in recent weeks, their connection no doubt magnetised by a mutual frustration. It was interesting to watch them leave the RheinEnergie Stadion chatting together. For Southgate not to use them in the opening two matches — when his side lacked pace and guile — was a head-scratcher. What they and Mainoo did in Cologne, then, should serve as an a***-kicker for the manager.

And that would be fine — there is no need to berate Southgate if lessons are learned. He had the wit to pick those players in his squad in the first place. Now, it is time to use them. Palmer for Saka and Mainoo for Conor Gallagher are the obvious changes for the second round.

Jude Bellingham (left) and Phil Foden (right) failed to click, and may have even clashed

Bukayo Saka could see himself swapped for Palmer if Southgate shakes things up vs Slovakia

Perhaps, even, Gordon for Bellingham with Foden moved to No 10, should the latter be back in time after ‘temporarily’ returning to the UK for the birth of his third child.

That would be bold if not unjustified, and Southgate has shown he has brave calls in him.

Mainoo’s promotion to the seniors in March, for example. The Manchester United teenager took England upfield on Tuesday and, in the final third, he had 20 touches to Gallagher’s one. It felt harsh at the time, Southgate abandoning midfield misadventure No 2 after just 45 minutes, but the impact on the team was positive.

With Mainoo, Palmer and Gordon, the hope must be that others improve for their presence. Take Foden, who was England’s best player against Slovenia but — as our graphic above shows — the majority of his passes were sideways and backwards. Across three matches, he has passed to Jordan Pickford three times and Harry Kane just once. That statistic is astonishing, but not entirely shocking.

Gordon spoke as well as he had played afterwards, and his words were telling. ‘We need to find a way of being more direct and putting teams on the back foot,’ he said. ‘We need more threat in behind, we need more shots on goal and more chances created. Because I feel like teams are pressing us and we’re a bit too predictable at the minute.

‘We just need a little bit more creativity in the final third because I think we’re controlling games well. But it’s that predictability — teams are pushing up the pitch because we’re not unpredictable.’

Phil Foden has been a perpetual bright spark for Manchester City this season and could dazzle for England in his favoured position

Gordon stressed the importance of England finding a way to be more direct in the knockouts

It was just as interesting when he added: ‘The group we’ve got on the bench at the minute are on fire (in training).’

As the terrace ode to Foden goes, you can’t start a fire without a spark. England’s fans would do well to update the lyrics, so long as Southgate updates his selection.

The England teams who won the World Cup in 1966 and reached the last four in 1990 were different to the ones which started the tournament.

That is why there is hope. That is why, with changes, there is time for change. And that is why England, having spent most of the opening round on their hands and knees, can now begin their run for the final.