Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has advised England manager Gareth Southgate to drop Premier League superstars Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold from his starting XI. According to the former defender, the players are not operating at their best and are also hurting their teammates.
England Play Out Frustrating 1-1 Draw With Denmark In Second EURO 2024 Clash
Southgate’s England, who kicked off their EURO 2024 campaign with an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Serbia, dropped two points in their second Group C encounter on Thursday evening (June 20). Bayern Munich ace Harry Kane fired the Three Lions in front in the 18th minute, but the Three Lions never looked like building on it. Instead, they went into conservation mode, which allowed the Danes to pile men forward and eventually get the equalizer through Morten Hjulmand.
Despite the stalemate, England find themselves at the top of Group C rankings with four points. But they now must win their final game against Slovenia to qualify for the Round of 16 as group winners.
Jamie Carragher Insists Gareth Southgate Must Drop Two Premier League Stars
Following England’s 1-1 draw with Denmark, former English defender Carragher asked Southgate to make alterations to his EURO 2024 starting XI. He advised the Three Lions coach to drop Foden and Alexander-Arnold, saying Foden could not operate effectively alongside Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane whereas the Liverpool full-back did not deliver in midfield.
Carragher wrote in The Telegraph:
“Unfortunately, two of the best Premier League footballers – Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden – will have to be sacrificed now. The team’s set-up is not getting the best from them, or their team-mates.
“Introducing Alexander-Arnold into midfield in a major tournament was always a risk. It has not worked. The experiment ended with his early substitution against Denmark.”
He concluded by adding:
“Elsewhere in the side, nobody loves watching Foden more than me.
“But for England to come up with a system that works and complements everyone, he can’t operate in the starting XI with Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane if they are all trying to occupy the same space and positions.”
EURO 2020 finalists England will play their final Group C match against Slovenia on Tuesday night (June 25).
