Oranje Crush: Czechs Kick Netherlands Out

The Czech Republic won the five o’clock kick-off, upsetting Frank de Boer’s Netherlands in the process.

Dutch defender Matthijs De Ligt was shown a red card for deliberately handling the ball in the fifty-fifth minute.

De Ligt pinned all the blame on himself pic.twitter.com/NtjqCsapSI

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 27, 2021

The Netherlands had dominated the first but had nothing to show for it and the momentum swung in the second half.

Slavia Prague right-back Tomas Holes scored the opening goal in the sixty-eighth minute to give his country the advantage over the 10-man Netherlands.

Netherlands goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg came off his line and left it open for Holes to put his side ahead.

Frank de Boer’s selections and substitutions proved ineffective in the Netherlands’ first European Championship knockout game since 2008.

Tournament star Patrik Schick finished off the helpless Dutch with the second of the game and his fourth of the tournament coming in the 80th minute.

The Czech Republic will face Denmark in the quarter-finals on Saturday at 5 pm.

Belgium Down Portugal To Keep Euro 2020 Hopes Alive

Later on, the Belgians beat reigning European champions Portugal to earn themselves a date with Italy.

A Thorgan Hazard wondergoal lit up an otherwise dull first half and forced the Portuguese to attack Roberto Martinez’s side in the second half.

Fernando Santos’ selection of Renato Sanches and Joao Palhinha did not pay off as the Portuguese side failed to break down the Belgians.

Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to score his 110th international goal against Belgium, which would have put him out on his own in the all-time international scoring charts.

Belgium (0.23) 1-0 (1.56) Portugal

— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) June 27, 2021

Santos’ side failed to take advantage of the opportunities they had, registering 1.53 expected goals on the night without finding the net.

The 101-year-old defence of Jan Vertonghen, Thomas Vermaelen and Toby Alderweireld kept a clean sheet and helped their side progress to the quarter-finals.

Belgium will play Italy in their quarter-final on Friday at 5 pm.

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In the next part of the Euro 2020 fantasy football guide, we look at the most expensive players.

Take a look at our most recent addition to the guide here. 

It will take place across several host cities and include even more star players.

But who is the most expensive in each position and who should win the tournament and who you can use your euro 2020 betting offers to back the tournament winner. 

All player valuations are available here.

GOALKEEPER

There is a three-way tie for the goalkeeper position.

Hugo Lloris (France) is worth €6m.

Manuel Neuer (Germany) and Thibaut Courtois (Belgium) join him on the high number.

The trio is established figures in their respective national setups.

Additionally, Neuer and Courtois are coming into the tournament off the back of strong seasons

As a result, the trio has earned their shared valuation

DEFENDER

Two defenders are top of the list at €6.5m

Raphael Guerreiro (Portugal) and Lucas Hernandez (France) is the duo who are highly priced.

Both are full-backs with extra responsibilities.

Guerreiro is an extra attacker in Fernando Santos’ Portugal side and offers width.

As a result, Joao Felix and Diogo Jota tend to cut inside to allow this.

Hernandez can also play high up the pitch.

However, he can tuck inside to offer an extra man in defence.

The players’ talents are recognised.

MIDFIELDERS

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) and Bruno Fernandes (Portugal) the most expensive midfielders available.

€10.5m will get you one of the two.

De Bruyne recently won PFA Player of the Year for the 2020/21 Premier League season.

Kevin De Bruyne.

PFA Player of the Year 2019-20

PFA Player of the Year 2020-21 pic.twitter.com/6Xkcah6uFi

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 6, 2021

Fernandes won Manchester United’s club award for the same season.

Both are creative threats that can produce moments of magic out of thin air.

FORWARDS

Two players share the top spot for the forward position.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Kylian Mbappé (France) are worth €12m each.

Forward is the most expensive position in the game and their price tags showcase that.

Ronaldo is a living legend and Mbappé will want to follow that path.

The pair will go head-to-head at the Euros and can shine individually.

However, if you want them to shine on your fantasy team, you will have to part with a hefty amount.

We will see if these valuations are justified by the players’ performances at the tournament.

Yet, one can hope that their fantasy football team will win any league after spending that much money on the players.

The post Fantasy Football: Most Expensive Players On Euro 2020 Fantasy Football appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

It will be Scotland’s first game in a major tournament since a 3-0 loss to Morocco at the 1998 World Cup.

Steve Clarke’s side will want to prove a point to the doubters with a strong performance against the Czechs.

Kieran Tierney and Andrew Robertson’s performances will be important to the side that fields both left-backs.

Furthermore, their double left-back system will help them to press high up the pitch and start counters in the attacking third.

Scott McTominay will help to shore up the defence and also bring the ball into the attacking third through the middle of the pitch.

In addition, John McGinn will play behind Scotland’s two strikers and provide passe and runs into the box.

The Czech Republic will set out to nullify Scotland’s high-intensity approach and slow the game down when off the ball.

West Ham United’s Tomas Soucek will be instrumental in this as he will go for every aerial duel.

His clubmate, Vladimir Coufal, will play up high on the right flank and move the ball into the final third.

Soucek’s heading ability will be important as any crosses attempted will need a strong connection.

Vladimir Darida and Patrik Schick will work together to link the attacking four together and create big chances.

Adam Hlozek will be a danger to the Scottish defence if he is given the chance.

This will be a close game, as highlighted by their previous encounters before Euro 2020.

Predicted Lineups

Scotland (5-2-1-2): David Marshall; Stephen O’Donnell, Liam Cooper, Grant Hanley, Kieran Tierney, Andrew Robertson; Scott McTominay, Stuart Armstrong; John McGinn; Lyndon Dykes, Che Adams.

Czech Republic (4-2-3-1): Jiri Pavlenka; Vladimir Coufal, Tomas Kalas, Ondrej Celutska, Jan Boril; Alex Kral, Tomas Soucek; Lukas Masopust, Vladimir Darida, Jakub Jankto; Patrik Schick.

Betting

Scotland 39/20

Czech Republic 33/20

Draw 19/10

Source: The Telegraph

Prediction

Scotland 2-2 Czech Republic

A Twitter List by IrishScoresGAA

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Both sides will have a point to prove as they look to get a headstart on one another.

The Dutch will be without Virgil Van Dijk for the whole of Euro 2020 as he is still recovering from his cruciate injury.

Instead, Mathijs De Ligt will be partnered by Inter Milan’s Stefan De Vrij.

A three-man defence was used in the warm-up games and that also included Ajax youngster Jurrien Timber.

Furthermore, Owen Wijndal will be a tricky customer on the left-hand side while Gini Wijnaldum will play as a 10.

The latter has scored four times in his last seven games for his national side, per Transfermarkt.

Memphis Depay has the most important summer of his career ahead of him.

Happy to see the fans in the stadium yesterday pic.twitter.com/ZRUZQt9pOJ

— Memphis Depay (@Memphis) June 7, 2021

Therefore, he will want to make the most of it.

Andriy Shevchenko’s Ukraine has impressed in the build-up to Euro 2020.

The Eastern European nation has impressed against Spain and France, among others.

In comparison, the Netherlands will not be as tough of an ask for the yellow and blue.

36-year-old captain Andriy Pyatov will wear his heart on his sleeve in goal.

A dogged defence will provide support for him and Oleksandr Zinchenko will play higher up the pitch.

The trio of Ruslan Malinovskyi, Roman Yaremchuk and Andriy Yarmolenko will be tough assignments for the Netherlands back three.

Predicted Lineups

Netherlands (3-5-2): Tim Krul; Stefan De Vrij, Jurrien Timbers, Mathijs De Ligt; Denzel Dumfries, Frenkie De Jong, Gini Wijnaldum, Marten De Roon, Owen Wijndal; Memphis Depay, Wout Weghorst.

Ukraine: (4-1-4-1): Andriy Pyatov; Oleksandr Karavaev, Ilya Zabarnyi, Mykola Matvienko, Vitaliy Mykolenko; Taras Stepanenko; Andriy Yarmlenko, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Oleksandr Zubkov; Roman Yaremchuk.

Betting

Netherlands 8/13

Draw 5/2

Ukraine 5/1

Prediction

Netherlands 1-1 Ukraine

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Austria is coming into Euro 2020 with a strong squad built on Bundesliga talents. 

For example, the main star, David Alaba, will be complemented by Marcel Sabitzer and Xaver Schlager. 

They will want to live up to expectations this time around after disappointing in previous years.

To clarify, the Austrian national side finished bottom of their group in Euro 2016 which included Hungary, Portugal and newcomers Iceland.

Daniel Bachmann can provide a solid presence in goal after a stellar season with newly-promoted Watford if he plays but Alexander Schlager of LASK is favoured. 

Schlager has only made six appearances for the national side but can improve on that during the competition.

Sasa Kaladzjic will want to make a name for himself on the international stage after a stunning breakthrough season.

Upon reflection, 16 goals and six assists for VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga is impressive.

A goal at the Euros will only serve to compliment his talent further. 

Austria’s possession-based football will go up against North Macedonia’s low-block.

Furthermore, this low-block can shift into a counterattacking shape when needed.

North Macedonia will make their European Championships debut against ‘Das Team’. 

Igor Ankelovski’s side enters Euro 2020 as the lowest-ranked side, per Fifa.

However, the 62nd best team in the world will look to cause an upset or two in the group stages. 

37-year-old Goran Pandev and the creative Elif Elmas will be crucial for the side in the tournament.

In addition, the pace of Leeds wing-back Ezgjan Alioski will also be an important weapon for the North Macedonians.

Predicted Lineups

Austria (4-2-3-1): Alexander Schlager; Stefan Lainer, Aleksander Dragovic, Marvin Hinteregger, Andreas Ulmer; Florian Grillitsch, Xaver Schlager; Valentin Lazaro, Christopher Baumgartlinger, David Alaba; Sasa Kaladzjic

North Macedonia (5-3-2):Stole Dimitrevski; Stefan Ristovski, Egzon Betjulai, Visar Musliu, Darko Velkovski, Ezgjan Alioski; Arijan Ademi, Boban Nikolov, Elif Elmas; Goran Pandev, Ivan Trickovski.

Betting

Austria 8/13

Draw 12/5

North Macedonia 5/1

Prediction

Austria 1-0 North Macedonia

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England and Croatia kick-off Group D of the 2020 UEFA European Championship on Sunday, 13^th June at 14:00.

England enters the competition as one of the favourites to win it.

They have a squad filled with players entering their prime.

However, they will be missing Trent Alexander-Arnold after his injury against Austria.

Brighton centre-back Ben White has replaced the Liverpool right-back in the squad.

Harry Maguire may miss the opener through injury, but White is a capable deputy.

In contrast, Croatia is stumbling into the competition after poor showings in the UEFA Nations League and recent international friendlies.

A muscle injury has sidelined Croatia’s Dejan Lovren since April, per Transfermarkt, and his possible absence may be a big one.

As a result, Marseille’s Duje Caleta-Car is expected to line up in his place.

The midfield will be the most interesting matchup of the game.

The youthful trio of Declan Rice, Mason Mount and Jude Bellingham will be involved in England’s midfield.

However, Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson could also make an appearance.

Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic can start in the centre of the pitch for the Croatians.

The Croatian midfield will be where most of their attacks begin.

Whoever dominates the middle of the field may end up on top at the final whistle.

Manchester City wingers Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling will be available for selection after joining up with the squad following their UEFA Champions League final loss.

Andrej Kramaric could return to the Croatian starting lineup after being sidelined for Dinamo Zagreb’s Bruno Petkovic up top.

Predicted Lineups

England (4-3-3): Jordan Pickford; Kyle Walker, Ben White, John Stones, Luke Shaw; Declan Rice, Mason Mount, Jude Bellingham; Jadon Sancho, Harry Kane, Phil Foden.

Croatia (4-3-3): Dominik Livakovic; Sime Vrsaljko, Domagoj Vida, Duje Caleta-Car, Borna Barisic; Marcelo Brozovic, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic; Ante Rebic, Andrej Kramaric, Ivan Perisic.

Betting

England 4/6

Draw 13/5

Croatia 9/2

Result Prediction

England 2-1 Croatia.

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If you missed the guide on midfielders, click here to read it first. 

Forwards include wingers and strikers and the legacy of these players can be made by one good tournament.

Strikers such as David Villa and Milan Baros have lit up the international scene at UEFA European Championships in the 21st century.

Imagine the fantasy points they would have earned.

CRISTIANO RONALDO – PORTUGAL, €12m

First up is Cristiano Ronaldo – who else?

Ronaldo has been unstoppable for most of his career and has five Ballon d’Ors to date.

He dragged an otherwise weak Portugal side to the final of Euro 2016 alongside Nani and Quaresma.

Now part of a much stronger side, Portugal do not have to rely on him as much.

However, when the ball is played up to him, it is always a dangerous moment.

Goals galore and lots of points lie behind a €12m price tag.

ROMELU LUKAKU – BELGIUM, €11m

Second on the list is Romelu Lukaku.

The Serie A MVP has reminded everyone of his world-class talent at Inter Milan.

In addition to this, his goalscoring does not stop when he plays for Belgium.

Lukaku has scored a national record 60 goals in 93 games for his national side.

He does not look like stopping either.

The goals will keep coming with Dries Mertens by his side and Kevin De Bruyne behind him.

He has the highest pick rate of any forward in the game – 43 per cent.

Romelu Lukaku is all yours for €11m.

FANTASY FOOTBALL FIND: SASA KALADZJIC – AUSTRIA, €7.5m

Sasa Kaladzjic had a fantastic breakout season for VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga.

16 goals and 6 assists in 33 games earned him a spot in the Austrian squad for Euro 2020.

In a group that is much wider than it appears, Kaladzjic could make a name for himself.

He is valued at just under £20m by Transfermarkt currently but that number will double with a good tournament.

The first game against North Macedonia will be a good time to get off the mark.

For €7.5m, you can get behind Kaladzjic before the world takes notice.

Your forward line will always be high scorers when these three are in your fantasy side.

The post Fantasy Football: The Best Strikers For Your Euro 2020 Fantasy Team appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

This part of the guide is not confined to one single position, unlike the previous five.

You can read the most recent entry here. 

However, we take a look at one bargain per position.

These are the best bargains for your fantasy team.

BARGAIN 1: DANIEL BACHMANN – AUSTRIA, €4.5m

Daniel Bachmann had a fantastic season in the EFL Championship with Watford.

The Austrian made 23 appearances and kept 13 clean sheets as he helped Watford get back into the Premier League at the first time of asking.

In addition to this, Bachmann conceded only 13 goals in that time span.

He will be hugely important between the sticks for an Austrian side that needs to prove its worth on the international stage.

The first-choice Austrian goalkeeper is all yours for €4.5m.

KEVIN MBABU – SWITZERLAND, €5m

Kevin Mbabu is Wolfsburg’s wicked wing-back.

The Swiss star can play anywhere in defence and has come into his own in recent years.

He earned his place in the starting eleven for Switzerland at the 2020 UEFA European Championship.

Mbabu can light up the competition if called upon as his pace will stretch defences and open gaps.

His tackling is also not to be overlooked.

With this in mind, when you see him on a Swiss team sheet for Euro 2020, do not be surprised.

The 26-year-old can be on your team too for €5m.

RYAN GRAVENBERCH – NETHERLANDS, €5m

Ryan Gravenberch is one of Europe’s hottest prospects.

He bossed the midfield for Erik Ten Hag’s Ajax this season and will look to do so for the Dutch at the Euros.

Furthermore, his movement and ability are of a high level.

At just 19, Gravenberch will experience a lot more international tournaments as he gets older.

But his first one could be special.

ANDREAS CORNELIUS – DENMARK, €6m

Andreas Cornelius has an impressive national goalscoring haul for Denmark.

The Atalanta star who spent this season on loan at Parma has 10 goals in 30 games for the Danes, per Transfermarkt.

A goal against Bosnia on Sunday is a sign of what’s to come for the Danish forward.

After that, scoring a goal or two at the Euros would not be a surprise.

For €6m, you can have Cornelius in your fantasy side.

There are plenty of bargains in Euro 2020’s fantasy football game.

However, these four are some of the best.

Buy them and watch your team fly.

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The worldwide pandemic halted sports during 2020, causing European football fans to put their clocks forward a year to arrive at the Euro 2020 tournament. Finally, the time has come where Europe’s finest international squads will go head-to-head in a month-long competition to determine the kings of European football. The previously named Euro 2020’s has become Euro 2021, and we are ready for some top-tier footballing action. 

Let us sneak a peek at the teams we believe own the most excellent chance of lifting the trophy. 

Reigning Euro Champions Portugal 

If you fancy yourself as a betting man, the Portuguese outfit could be right up your alley. With a current price of 8/1 to claim it all, they are a squad that is currently being overlooked by critics and fans alike. 

The decline of Serie A top dogs Juventus may have something to do with this; why? Because Cristiano Ronaldo has not had the brightest season, but he remains the superstar player on Portugal’s team. 

In addition to Ronaldo’s declining season at Juventus, Portugal has landed in the sights of Germany and France by drawing into Group F. However, I honestly believe that facing stiff competition from the onset could provide a cup winning confidence boost like no other, and we cannot simply discredit one of the world’s best players because of his domestic team’s downfalls. 

The best possible news for Portugal is that a 3rd place position in Group F could still see them qualify into the knockout stage. Four third-place teams will advance, meaning that a loss to France and Germany could still provide rewards later down the line. But this is a worst-case scenario, the talent inside the Portuguese squad has enough to win their group, let alone scrape by. 

Fernando Santos is all too familiar with this setting, leading the Portugal squad to cup-winning glory during the Euros 2016.  In addition, three of his players hold over 100 caps; plus, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Diogo Jota and Joao Felix are a set of players who can match Ronaldo’s stardom on the pitch. 

Italy Look Unstoppable 

Here are a few statistical facts about Italy you may be unaware of: 

• They haven’t lost a single game during their previous twenty-one encounters. 
• They have won their previous seven away games whilst holding their opponents to zero goals. 
• They hold more runners-up trophies than any other team in European Championship Tournaments. 

Italy is another squad that is seemingly overlooked in this year’s Euro 2021 competition. 

The overly experienced Roberto Mancini is a coach who knows how to win silverware; when you match this with a well-balanced squad and the most manageable opposition during group stages, Italy could be well primed and rested heading into the knockout stages. 

Italy came close to recapturing their 1968 Euro winning year in 2000 and 2012, but these runner-up positions were not good enough for Italian fans.

 The difference-maker during this campaign will be their home advantage during group stages and an impressive unbeaten streak dating back to 2018. This is the best Italy squad we have seen since 2012; their chances of success are high in our estimation. 

Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne and Domenico Berardi enter the tournament following a very successive Serie A domestic season. This forward strong Italy squad could become a devastating outfit with Roberto Mancini at the reigns. 

France Are the Favourite to Win for Good Reason 

The most talented group of all the Euro 2021 campaign is pointing towards Group F, and the French squad are current favourites to claim the first position finish. The thought of France winning this group (especially without a loss) could create an unbeatable team when moving onto the knockout stages. 

The 2018 World Cup winners have a remarkably similar but more experienced squad than they did back in ’18; if Pogba, Kante, Varane and Mbappe don’t give the opposition worries, they must be insane. Now give these elite players more experience, a higher net-worth and the chance to pull off the double; doubting this French squad would be foolish. 

The talent residing in French football is amazingly stacked, and Didier Deschamps accomplished the Euros/World Cup double in 1998 & 2000; twenty years later, he is attempting the same accomplishment, but this time as the manager. The squad he has at his disposal can provide two starting line-ups capable of causing damage, giving him a considerable advantage with tired legs or potential injury. If France causes trouble early on, it is hard to envision any team causing them issues during later stages. 

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However, if England is to be victorious in their opening group game and beyond, Southgate will have to pick the correct starting XI. Any mistakes when picking the correct personnel could backfire greatly for the Englishman. Here is my English team that should start against Croatia and beyond the group stages.

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Goalkeeper

Jordan Pickford: My first choice was Nick Pope, the Burnley man is a better overall keeper, makes fewer errors that lead to goals and has much more of a commanding presence to him than both Pickford and Dean Henderson. However, Pope picked up a knee injury ruling him out of what would have been his first major tournament. Ultimately, I have gone for Jordan Pickford to start between the sticks, the Everton man has experience at the international level and had a blinding World Cup campaign, so he starts.

Right-Back

Reece James: The right-back position for England has been scrutinised for months leading up to the reveal of Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad. After Liverpool’s Trent Alexander Arnold had a difficult season, he was selected alongside Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Reece James before being ruled out with a thigh injury sustained in a 1-0 victory over Austria. While Kyle Walker has a clear experience edge over the other two. Reece James has come into his own this season at Chelsea, playing both as a right-back and being utilised further forward as a right-wing back under Thomas Tuchel. After pocketing English team-mate Raheem Sterling in the Champions League final, his pace, power, and a much more balanced game puts him the clear starter.

Centre-Back

Harry Maguire/Ben White: If Harry Maguire is fit, he starts, it’s that simple. After a terrible run of games after the season restarted in the 2019/2020 season and the start of last season, the big centre-back has proven to be an adequate defender. Without him, England could suffer greatly. Stones has not the same leadership qualities as Maguire has nor from set-pieces so without him, a back five might be introduced to solidify things with Kyle Walker introduced in a three-man defence accompanied by wingbacks. If Maguire is out, my first-choice back-up would be Ben White. The Brighton man replaced the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold and will be more than enough to ease England’s centre-back worries.

Centre-Back

John Stones: England’s best centre-back based on overall ability and when he is on form, he has proven he is more than capable of producing on an international level. The Man City man had a great season next to Portuguese star Ruben Dias, it will be interesting to see how he does without a commanding and imposing centre-back like Dias beside him and with Harry Maguire potentially missing out, Stones needs to start every single game for England.

Left-Back

Luke Shaw: After having a difficult time at Manchester United since his horrific leg break in 2015, Shaw has proven me, along with many others wrong this season. Producing at a world-class level and being the best left-back in the Premier League and the world this season. Having Ben Chilwell as backup is a great choice to have if Southgate decides to play more attacking, but Shaw is the clear number one.

Central-Defensive Midfielder

Declan Rice: The West Ham captain has been an integral piece for both club and country, with the defensive midfielder proving himself capable of more than sitting in front of the defence. Underrated in carrying the ball forward, his fierce tackling and being a voice in the middle of the pitch, the young midfielder brings balance to an already stacked midfield full of attacking prowess. He has to start.

Central Midfielder

Mason Mount: Chelsea’s player of the season has proven his doubters wrong with his spectacular performances this campaign. With Jordan Henderson struggling for match fitness, it could be a tournament to remember for the midfielder. Mount will arguably play a deeper role, bolstering creativity and with a finisher like Harry Kane up front, his excellent set-pieces and crossing game could be exploited heavily by Southgate to tear teams apart. His partnership with Declan Rice will be crucial in rather or not the game will be won or lost in the midfield for England.

Left Midfielder

Marcus Rashford: While the United star has had one of his best seasons in terms of goals and assists, he struggled at the latter part of the season for his club. However, his quality cannot be diminished, having originally gone for Grealish in this position, I could not leave Rashford out. Sterling has been out of form all season and England do not possess the same creativity or out and outpace out wide to stretch opponents. The United man deserves his spot.

Central Attacking Midfielder

Jack Grealish: Easily England’s most talented midfielder and should be one of the first names down on the team sheet. The Villa captain has had a hard road to get into this team, but his exploits for his club has made him a shoehorn in this current set-up. Playing better in a more advanced role, and with Declan Rice providing stability and balance behind him and Mason Mount possibly playing in a deeper role, Grealish should thrive in a front four.

Right Midfielder

Jadon Sancho: Phil Foden is a shoutout for this position, but Jadon Sancho starts out wide. Although he did struggle for space and looked tired against Romania, his record in the Bundesliga this season has been spectacular after a hard start.

Striker

Harry Kane: Playing Harry Kane does not need much explanation; the Tottenham talisman is on par with Robert Lewandowski as the current best striker in the role. With England’s hopes and expectations on his shoulders, if he delivers as he did at the World Cup, England will be hard to stop.

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