England team news: Gareth Southgate 'should rip up' Kobbie Mainoo plan vs Slovakia due to trio

Gareth Southgate plans to bring Kobbie Mainoo into his starting XI for the first time at the Euros

Danny Murphy has urged Gareth Southgate to "rip up" the playbook and try something completely different against Slovakia.

England are a win away from reaching their fourth-successive major tournament quarter-final under Southgate, but while they might be strong favourites heading into Sunday's last-16 clash, their performances out in Germany thus far have left plenty to be desired.

That said, the manager will reportedly make just one change to the team he picked to face Slovenia on Tuesday, with Kobbie Mainoo expected to replace Conor Gallagher in central midfield, just as he did at half-time in England's final group match. However, former Three Lions midfielder Murphy wants Southgate to leave Mainoo on the bench and move Jude Bellingham into that role in order to reduce congestion in central attacking areas.

"It appears Southgate may stick to the same system with Kobbie Mainoo partnering Rice in midfield," Murphy, 47, wrote in the Daily Mail. "In that case, Kane and Foden have to resist the temptation against Slovakia today to go into the areas Bellingham needs for himself.

"I’d do it slightly differently. People forget Bellingham first made his name as an orthodox midfielder and I think he’d love to drop a bit deeper. Jude is as strong as an ox and loves a battle and a tackle. At No. 10, you are reliant on service from others. Playing closer to Rice, in place of Gallagher or Mainoo, he’d be able to hunt the ball and make things happen himself."

Murphy added that Bellingham dropping deeper would free up space for both Harry Kane and Phil Foden, who like to operate in the space between the opposition's midfield and defence. Plus, it would allow England to field a pacey, direct runner like Anthony Gordon, who can provide some much-needed penetration to the forward line.

"If Bellingham vacated No. 10, it would allow Foden to become the main playmaker, with Anthony Gordon on the left. On the right, either Saka or Cole Palmer can do the job."

None of England's top players have been at it at the Euros, with Kane, Bellingham, Foden and Saka all putting in uncharacteristically ineffective shifts in the opening three games. The pressure is now to get things clicking, and given the favourable draw England have been handed, Southgate and Co. will be short on excuses if they fail to do so.

A win over Slovakia would set up a quarter-final clash with Switzerland, who beat Italy 2-0 on Saturday. Victory there would see England advance to the last four to face either Romania, the Netherlands, Turkey or Austria, with top seeds France, Belgium, Germany, Portugal and Spain all on the other side of the draw.

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