Gareth Southgate set to make just ONE change to England XI for Slovakia clash

Gareth Southgate will resist calls for wholesale changes against Slovakia.

England boss Southgate is likely to start with Kobbie Mainoo in midfield after his impressive second half performance. But that may be Southgate’s only change as he looks set to stick with Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden as the latter returned to training on Friday having flown home for the birth of his third child.

Kieran Trippier has been managing a calf issue but will hope to start and Declan Rice is also expected to be fit. Luke Shaw will hope to come on as a substitute after declaring himself fit but has not played since February.

Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon are both big options from the bench with Slovakia likely to use a low block defensively and that is what England have worked on in training.

The decision to not make wholesale changes is one endorsed by those within the England camp, although Kyle Walker says England need to find “another gear” to win the Euros.

Walker has been part of a rock-solid despite defence despite otherwise underwhelming displays in the group stages. But Walker did admit that they must improve into the knock-out stages as they face Slovakia in the last 16 on Sunday.

Kobbie Mainoo is set to replace Conor Gallagher for England against Slovakia

England defender Walker told the FA’s Lions’ Den show: “We all know that there’s another gear that we need to step up but as a defensive unit I think we’ve been very good. Only conceding the one goal and I think we’ve put in a few good performances.

"I don’t think you should change too much. Obviously, you have to play the game and the occasion and representing your country. Getting to a knockout stage, it’s about winning a game of football.

“But nothing can change too much because when you start to play the game and the occasion, then things start to go wrong.

England manager Gareth Southgate

"We’ve been here before. It’s not our first time going into a knockout scenario. We just need to make sure we up it that five or ten per cent, collectively and individually, and we’ll be fine.”

John Stones will also line up in the back four that has conceded just once in their opening three games in Germany. And when he's named in Sunday's XI he will earn his 75th cap for the national side, but admits there was a stage when he did not think he would play for England again.

Stones, 30, lost his England place when his form suffered at Manchester City and feared his international career could be over.

He said: “It’s so strange. At one point I never thought I’d play for England again. I had a tough part of my career and my aim was to get to 50 caps. I made that milestone and set this one. The next one is 100.

“I’m extremely proud, for my family to be there and experience it all with me has been super good.”

Expected England XI vs Slovakia (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Rice, Mainoo; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane.

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