Alan Shearer says England have two undroppable players despite slow start to Euro 2024

England legend Alan Shearer (Picture: YouTube)

Alan Shearer believes Gareth Southgate has two undroppable players in his squad despite England’s slow start to Euro 2024.

The Three Lions laboured to a 1-0 win over Serbia in their opening game of the Euros before being held to a 1-1 draw by Denmark last time out.

Victory over Slovenia on Tuesday night will guarantee England top spot in Group C but several pundits are already questioning whether the team are capable of lifting a major trophy for the first time since 1966.

Shearer was highly critical of England’s performance against Denmark and Gareth Southgate’s tactics which proved largely ineffectual.

Looking ahead to England’s final group game, the Three Lions legend says he would play Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon either side of Harry Kane, with Phil Foden in the No. 10 role and Jude Bellingham dropping deeper alongside Declan Rice.

It has been suggested that England could drop Premier League player of the season Foden but Shearer believes the Manchester City star – and Real Madrid’s Bellingham – are undroppable.

‘There’s no way you can leave Bellingham or Foden out of the England team,’ Shearer told Gary Lineker on The Rest Is Football podcast.

‘No other country would leave those two players out. They are amazing players. Find a way to make them both work – get them in the team. I would have Bellingham, as I’ve said, alongside Rice, with the freedom to go forward.

‘I’d have Saka and Gordon either side of Harry Kane, with Foden as a No. 10. I don’t think they should be afraid to be left one vs one at the back, they’re more than capable.

‘He’s going to have to change it. He cannot – and won’t – go in (against Slovenia) with the same team. The midfield gamble, in terms of Trent, hasn’t worked.’

Reflecting on England’s performance against Denmark, Shearer added: ‘It’s very rare that you get everyone in the same team having a poor game. At a push, I’d say maybe Guehi, maybe Foden (played well).

England are preparing for their final Euro 2024 group game (Picture: Getty)

‘The surprising thing for me was a lack of plan. Gareth is not getting the best out of those players and he has to find a way.’

Despite England’s underwhelming performances in Germany, captain Harry Kane believes some of the criticism aimed at the team has been harsh and has urged pundits to ‘remember what it’s like to wear the shirt’.

‘I would never want to be disrespectful to any player, especially a player who has worn the shirt and knows what it is like to play for England,’ Kane said.

‘But what ex-players now have got to realise is it is very hard not to listen to it now, especially for some players who are not used to it or some players who are new to the environment.’

The Bayern Munich striker added: ‘I know they have got to be honest and give their opinion, but also they have a responsibility of being an ex-England player that a lot of players look up to and people do listen to them and people do care what they say.

‘The bottom line is we haven’t won anything as a nation for a long, long time and a lot of these players were part of that as well and they know how tough it is.

‘So it is not digging anyone out, it is just the reality that they do know it is tough to play in these major tournaments and tough to play for England.’

‘Being as helpful as they can and building the lads up with confidence would be a much better way of going about it.’

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