England boss Gareth Southgate confirmed Manchester City’s treble winners are available to face Malta, but he is yet to decide if they will play.
Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Kalvin Phillips only linked up with the squad on Tuesday after Manchester City completed the treble by beating Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final on Saturday.
Grealish’s celebrations have made the headlines, but Southgate is happy to consider the group for selection for Friday’s Euro 2024 qualifier.
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“We are going to have to take it bit by bit and see how they are,” he said. “They are all available for tomorrow but I’ve yet to decide if that’s a good decision.
“I spoke to them when they arrived, firstly to say what an incredible achievement. We said we are heading into the unknown, there is no way of knowing individually how they are going to react and respond to what they’ve been through.
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Following celebrations for completing the treble, Manchester City’s England internationals returned to training ahead of Friday’s Euro qualifier against Malta.
“Everybody is fit. We have got a lot of considerations, particularly the boys who arrived later and are coming off the back of a massive emotional high with the game at the weekend.
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“It’s always complicated, the decisions you have to make. The team has trained really well, the focus has been excellent and we are looking forward to the game.”
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Southgate continued: “I’m always monitoring everything the players do, wherever they are. We are used to dealing with the Champions League scenario. It was more complicated when Tottenham played Liverpool (in 2019) because we were into the Nations League semi-final three days later.
Image: Gareth Southgate has one or two calls to make
“We’re used to dealing with it, we know our players inside out. Our focus is on the team now. I’ve said to the players I have to push them. I have to push the players to get the results we need.
“The responsibility lies with them, they have to drive the team and get the performance we want.”
Chelsea’s Levi Colwill has travelled with the squad after Lewis Dunk pulled out.
Can the Maltese cause England a scare?
The bookmakers’ odds underline the task facing the team ranked 172nd in the world. England are 1/50 to win a match that you can get Malta at 80/1 to triumph in at sold-out Ta’ Qali National Stadium in Friday evening.
The Falcons head into the match fresh from last week’s 1-0 win in Luxembourg – a victory which may not resonate worldwide but against a team 80 places above them in the FIFA rankings it suggests quick progress in Michele Marcolini’s three games in charge. Malta also frustrated Italy, with the reigning European champions only managing a 2-0 win at Ta’ Qali in March.
The defender is also in Lee Carsley’s Under-21 squad for Euro 2023 which starts next week.
Southgate said: “We wanted to have him with us for the week. We lost Lewis Dunk and were a defender short. He will stay with us until we get back to Manchester where we can assess where we are within this group and who is available for the next game.
“He has done really well, we know he is a good player. We have been really impressed with his mentality and his ability.”
Eze eyes Three Lions debut
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Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze says that his prior England call-up when injured told him he was on the right path and helped him be motivated during rehabilitation.
Southgate’s press conference at the Ta’ Qali National Stadium was delayed due to technical difficulties upon arriving in Malta, with his 24-man squad forced to wait on the tarmac.
Eberechi Eze is among the travelling side and hoping to make his debut on Friday, as is England Under-21s international Colwill, who joined the group after initially being brought into train with them this week.
The pair are among those that have had to pause their post-season break at the end of a mammoth season for international duty, but Kieran Trippier says the team are fully focused.
“It was important obviously that the lads had a break,” the Newcastle right-back said. “Coming into the England set-up, it’s always a proud moment for all of us to get going again.
“When you say it’s been a long season, but for us players there’s nothing better… (we’re) proud to represent our country.
“We know what the goal is, to try and reach a Euros and we’ve had a good week training to prepare for this game.
“The lads are playing really well. We know it’s going to be a challenge tomorrow, but it’s one I’m ready for.”
England talking points: City players to feature? Will Southgate experiment?
England have beaten Italy and Ukraine, the two toughest opponents in the group. But Southgate hasn’t indulged any rest for many of his stars. The qualification job is not done, even if many of us believe it’s now very straight forward. Southgate did call Trent Alexander Arnold and John Stones’ deployment as inverted full backs ”interesting” – so let’s see if we see that used.
Eze is the player that I want to see given minutes over the next week. Eze has the ability to play in midfield and a front three. Could there be a space for him alongside Phillips and Declan Rice in Malta? James Maddison was also busy in his debut against Ukraine and deserves to build on that.
Sky Sports News duo Tom Driscoll and Mark McAdam are out in Malta reporting on England and discuss what plans Gareth Southgate will have for Euros qualifier.
Who should start for England at Euro 2024? Sky Sports writers have their say
Who should Gareth Southgate pick if England’s opening game at Euro 2024 was tomorrow?
The countdown is well and truly on with the opening game of Euro 2024 in Munich just one year away.
England, who currently top qualifying Group C, continue their bid to qualify for next summer’s tournament in Germany with games against Malta (Friday June 16; kick-off 7.45pm) and North Macedonia (Monday June 19; kick-off 7.45pm) as they look to go one better than their runners-up finish at Euro 2020.
There’s still plenty of time for players to make their cases in the next year, but if Gareth Southgate’s side’s first match at the tournament was just around the corner, who would he pick?
The Sky Sports football writers have had their say…
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