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Ian Wright and Roy Keane agree on England's front three for Euro 2020

mirror.co.uk, 3 June 2021, 07:40
England got their Euro 2020 preparations off to a winning start as they beat Austria 1-0 on a night overshadowed by an injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold

Ian Wright believes England's rich array of options going forward means they have a real chance of ending 55 years of hurt at major tournaments.

Gareth Southgate watched his squad get their preparations off to a winning start on Wednesday night, although they laboured during the 1-0 win over Austria.

With Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea players unavailable, Southgate put out an experimental side at the Riverside.

Harry Kane, as he will in the opener against Croatia, led the line, with Jack Grealish and Bukayo Saka either side.

Saka scored the only goal of the game, while Grealish enjoyed an impressive showing before being taken off in the closing stages.

But speaking before that clash, Arsenal legend Ian Wright believes that Southgate will opt to start Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho with Kane.

"Can I be totally honest, I'm f****** gassed," he said on his Wrighty's House podcast.

"For me, if we're going to talk about what we can put out up front… I know who my front three is and it's purely on form and who should be starting.

"Jadon Sancho getting the injury and then getting back to form, you want to go into a tournament feeling like how he does.

"Obviously Phil Foden is a little bit disappointed because he lost the Champions League final, but you want to go into it in the form that he's shown.

"But those three [Kane, Sancho and Foden] are amazing. I didn't even mention Jack Grealish!

Who should start for England against Croatia in the Euro 2020 opener? Comment below

"Foden can come in and link into Kane. If you're Harry Kane going into that tournament you're laughing. It's a feast for him."

That trio leaves plenty of options on the bench, with Wright believing that strength in depth could be a huge factor in England's success.

He continued: "You're looking at Grealish, Rashford, Sterling and [Bukayo] Saka who could come off the bench in respects of needing creativity, needing impact - like we've not had for many years.

"When you look at the depth of what we've got going on up front and on the bench from an attacking point of view, we could win it.

"We could win it. I'm not afraid to say that. With the ability we've got, we've got the players that will frighten teams."

Roy Keane also suggested he would start the same front line but predicted the England boss would select more experienced internationals in the shape of Rashford and Sterling.

"If we're looking at current form, Foden will have to play and Sancho is doing well," Keane told ITV Football. "I think with a bit of loyalty in the game, Gareth will still look at Rashford and Sterling to be in the starting eleven, I think Gareth has always gone back to these lads.

"They've never let him down before. It's a difficult decision but on form Foden has to be involved."

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