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England Best XI For The Euro 2024 Qualifiers

England and Australia face off at Wembley for a friendly meeting between the two sides on 13th October.

For the Euro qualifiers, England top Group C with 13 points from five games, and The Three Lions remain on course for qualification for next summer’s European Championship as they prepare to host Italy on 17th October.

Here’s the expected line-up to represent the Three Lions in their upcoming matches.

GK: Jordan Pickford

Jordan Pickford became the first goalkeeper to keep five clean sheets across the first five games of a European Championships, after England’s 4-0 victory over Ukraine in July.

Pickford kept his first clean sheet of the season against Bournemouth last weekend. Fellow English goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale has been relegated to the bench since the arrival of David Raya while Sam Johnstone has kept the most clean sheets in the league. However, Pickford has been England’s undisputed number one and will likely be first choice when The Three Lions face Italy.

LB: Kieran Trippier

Following the absence of Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell, Kieran Trippier is set to deputize at left-back having previously proved his versatility in the past.

Trippier has continued his fine form this season recording five assists and leading the Premier League defenders with the most progressive passes and big chance creation.

The Newcastle United defender could provide Gareth Southgate with defensive rigidity and could also prove his attacking prowess at the opposite end of the pitch.

RB: Kyle Walker

Walker had a standout performance against Ukraine, showcasing his abilities both defensively and offensively. He effectively neutralized the threat posed by Mykhailo Mudryk throughout the match and capped off his performance with a well-taken goal, marking his first for the England national team.

The 33-year-old will aim to retain his place at right back when the Three Lions host European Champions, Italy.

CB: Lewis Dunk

Lewis Dunk’s exceptional form at Brighton has earned him an England call-up, with Gareth Southgate including the Seagulls’ captain in the squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers. Dunk’s performances for Brighton have been remarkable, helping the club secure European qualification for the first time in its history.

CB: Harry Maguire

Despite facing criticism at Manchester United, Harry Maguire has been a commanding presence at the heart of England’s adaptable defensive setup. He was recognized as a key member of UEFA’s official team of the tournament for Euro 2020, showcasing his consistency as one of the national team’s most reliable defenders.

Since 2021, Maguire has missed just one competitive international match, which was the 4-0 Nations League loss to Hungary in June 2022 – England’s most significant home defeat since 1928.

Maguire’s spirited performance against Brentford last weekend suggests he’s ready to replicate such displays for the Three Lions against Italy.

DM: Declan Rice

Declan Rice has become a key member of Mikel Arteta’s table-topping Arsenal. The 24-year-old’s defensive rigidity will provide cover for Jude Bellingham who is expected to continue his goal threat when the Three Lions face Italy.

CM: Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham’s remarkable form has played a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s surge to the top of La Liga. His high-profile transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid for €103 million in the summer came with great expectations, and he has exceeded them.

Bellingham not only brought a new dimension to Real Madrid’s midfield but also filled the void left by Karim Benzema’s departure in terms of goalscoring. He has been prolific, with 10 goals, of which eight came in La Liga. Among those, five were crucial late winners, and he recently scored a brace in a 4-0 victory over Osasuna, making him the top scorer in La Liga.

In the Champions League, Bellingham continued his scoring spree, netting a late winner against Union Berlin and contributing to a 3-2 victory over Napoli. As of the October international break, he has featured in 10 matches for Real Madrid, recording 10 goals and three assists, becoming the top scorer in Laliga.

AMF: James Maddison

James Maddison has established himself as one of the Premier League’s top attacking midfielders, and his performances since joining Tottenham Hotspur have been exceptional.

The 26-year-old leads the Premier League in chances created this season, with an impressive tally of 25. He has also secured the top spot in the Playmaker Award chart with five assists, adding to his two goals.

His creative prowess was evident from the opening weekend when he provided two assists in a 2-2 draw against Brentford. Maddison continued his impressive form by scoring in consecutive away games against Bournemouth and Burnley. He contributed another brace of assists in a match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and assisted the winning goal against Luton.

He has been directly involved in 22 goals in his last 23 away Premier League appearances. Since the start of last season, only Erling Haaland has been involved in more Premier League goals away from home, with Maddison notching 18, putting him level with Mohamed Salah in the top spot for assists.

The 26-year-old will aim to get a starting berth in Gareth Southgate’s starting lineup in the upcoming matches.

RW: Jarred Bowen

Jarred Bowen will hope to feature at England’s friendly with Australia as well as Euro qualifiers against Italy. The 26-year-old is coming off the back of an impressive Premier League season after scoring five goals. With the withdrawal of Bukayo Saka, Gareth Southgate can rely on the form of Bowen in their upcoming matches.

CF: Harry Kane

England’s captain, Harry Kane will lead his troupes out when the Three Lions host Australia in a friendly and Italy in a European qualifier. Kane has been in form for Bayern Munich since his transfer from Tottenham Hotspur and will hope to extend his record goalscoring record of 59 goals for England in the upcoming matches.

LW: Phil Foden

Phil Foden has recently been a mainstay in Gareth Southgate’s squad. The 23-year-old repaid the faith of England’s manager by netting against Scotland and will hope to retain his place on the team in the Three Lions’ upcoming fixtures.

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