England predicted XI for Euro 2024 Serbia opener as Gareth Southgate makes big call
England manager Gareth Southgate has already made some big calls before the start of Euro 2024, and will have to make a couple more on Sunday.
Southgate prompted plenty of debate when naming his initial 33-man squad and leaving out Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson. When he trimmed that squad to a final 26, Jack Grealish was among those to miss the cut.
Now, the manager's task is to upset even more people. He can only pick 11 players to start against Serbia in England's opening group games, meaning more people will be left disappointed.
The Euro 2020 finalists will be aiming to go one better this time around. There journey begins in Gelsenkirchen against a Serbia side who missed out on the last tournament after losing a play-off against Scotland.
Some positions are set in stone, with Jordan Pickford nailed on as the starting goalkeeper when fit and captain Harry Kane leading the line. Elsewhere, though, some questions still remain, and here's how England might line up.
Goalkeeper and defence
Despite Aaron Ramsdale getting minutes against Iceland, it will be Pickford in goal again for the Euros opener. In front of him, John Stones and Marc Guehi are expected to continue together at centre-back after starting there at Wembley.
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John Stones and Marc Guehi before England vs Iceland
Kyle Walker has been a solid presence at right-back, but there has been less certainty on the left. With questions remaining over Luke Shaw's fitness, it could well be Kieran Tripper who gets the nod in Gelsenkirchen.
Midfield
It's in midfield that Southgate could make his biggest roll of the rice. Trent Alexander-Arnold has spent much of his career at right-back, but has been used in a midfield role of late at international level.
During England's training sessions this week, Southgate has been using the Liverpool star in a midfield three with Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham. That could mean the manager goes with a more orthodox midfield three, rather than a 4-2-3-1 with Bellingham in the number 10 role.
Trent Alexander-Arrnold in England training
"He has as good a passing range as anybody in world football," Southgate told ITV when discussing Alexander-Arnold. "He's been really invested in learning, understanding all aspects of the game in that role.
"I've enjoyed working with him on that project for the last 12 months. His mentality and attitude towards it have been absolutely first-class.
"Is he ready to start there? 'We believe so. We think he can offer something we don't have and give the team a different dimension. He's really been diligent in understanding the role."
Forwards
There are decisions to make up front, too. It's hard to keep captain Kane out of the line-up, even if he had injury issues at the tail end of the season, but the questions are out wide.
How England might line up against Serbia
Phil Foden looks set to start on the left, rather than the more central role in which he has excelled for Manchester City. If the warm-up games are anything to go by, though, it will be a fluid set-up with the 24-year-old moving across the front line.
It was Cole Palmer who started on the right against Iceland, with Bukayo Saka getting a run-out from the bench. If Arsenal star Saka is fit, though, he may well come in after showing his quality in England colours on plenty of occasions.
England predicted XI: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Rice, Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham; Saka, Foden, Kane
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