England: Report reveals Southgate will hand player ‘shock start’ in Euro 2024 final

According to reports, England manager Gareth Southgate will drop Kieran Trippier for Luke Shaw against Spain in what has been described as a ‘shock’ decision.

England take on Spain in the final of Euro 2024 on Sunday after a dramatic 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Wednesday night.

Ollie Watkins’ 90th-minute strike sent the Three Lions to Berlin for their second consecutive European Championship final.

Southgate is the third manager to reach the final of the competition twice and defeat against Spain would make him the first to lose both.

Let’s not speak that into existence though, folks. It’s coming home and all that.

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Pretty much everyone expected Southgate to name an unchanged starting XI for Sunday’s showdown in Berlin having barely changed the personnel throughout the tournament.

The former Middlesbrough boss changed from a back four to a back three after four disappointing performances to kick off Euro 2024, but the only player he has dropped has been right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who started the first two matches against Serbia and Denmark in centre-midfield.

Marc Guehi missed the quarter-final against Switzerland through suspension so Kobbie Mainoo for Alexander-Arnold was the only change Southgate was happy to make.

Anyhow, there has been plenty of debate about who should drop and which players should come in, with the Clamour for Anthony Gordon and others off the charts.

Kieran Trippier is a player who has been criticised for his performances while playing out of position as a left-back and left-wing-back.

Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw has not been fit to start in Trippier’s place and his involvement in the squad was controversial due to his lack of fitness.

His last start came against Luton Town in the Premier League on February 18 and has only played 88 minutes at Euro 2024.

Despite this and England’s form improving in the latter stages of the competition, Southgate has reportedly decided to make a change to his starting XI for the final.

According to The Telegraph , Shaw is going to come in for Trippier as Southgate looks for ‘more on his left side’.

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Indeed, the ‘surprise start’ is the 29-year-old’s first for his country since last June against North Macedonia.

Spain will likely have been surprised to see Shaw in the starting XI but thankfully for them, the English press have decided to give them a heads up. Nice of them, isn’t it?

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