Southgate’s side are in action on Thursday night (Picture: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Luke Shaw was not involved in England first-team training ahead of Thursday’s Euro 2024 showdown against Denmark with Kieran Trippier likely to continue at left-back.
The Manchester United star has not played any football since February, suffering a muscle injury in a 2-1 win over Luton Town.
He was a surprise inclusion in England’s provisional squad for this summer’s competition with Gareth Southgate initially rating his chances of making the final squad as ‘a long shot’.
Shaw did make the final 26-man squad however and was among the substitutes for Sunday’s 1-0 win over Serbia.
Southgate had mulled over using Shaw from the bench that night having trained with the squad leading into the game.
But the left-back was once again missing from training on Wednesday and has instead continued his own fitness programme away from the squad.
Shaw’s fitness was also thrown into further doubt on Sunday night when his club manager Erik ten Hag revealed on Dutch television he is not expected to play in any of England’s group games.
Shaw has not played any football since February (Picture: Getty)
Shaw is the only recognised left-back in the group with Trippier deputising in that role, as he has done previously for both club and country.
The Newcastle United star briefly looked to be struggling late on against Serbia with Southgate later revealing he required treatment for cramp.
Former England captain Terry Butcher has ‘no doubts’ Trippier will be ready to line up for the Three Lions against the Danes tomorrow night, not convinced Shaw will have any major role to play this summer.
‘Trippier will start, no doubt,’ Butcher told Metro.co.uk, courtesy of Free Bets.
‘He has never let England down. I think Shaw is there just in case Trippier gets a bad injury. We saw on Sunday, I thought he had tweaked his hamstring but he played on and it wasn’t anything serious.
‘But I think Shaw is only there if Trippier is injured and I think he will only play as an emergency option. I could be wrong, but it’s a big gamble to put Shaw in to start a game particularly in the knockout stages.
‘It all depends on what he’s done in training, if he’s been ripping it up then he may have a strong case. But as it stands, looking in from the outside, I would say Luke Shaw is there on standby.’