Arsenal expert Charles Watts thinks Gunners winger Bukayo Saka will get the nod to start for England at Euro 2024 this summer months, even with the levels of competition from Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.
Speaking solely to CaughtOffside for his most up-to-date column for the Day-to-day Briefing, Watts praised Palmer’s outstanding sort for Chelsea in the year just gone, but tipped Gareth Southgate to go for Saka and Foden as his main attacking midfield players at the Euros.
It is fair to say England appear spoilt for decision in that department after all 3 of Saka, Foden and Palmer enjoyed wonderful seasons in the Premier League, even though the relaxation of the Three Lions squad isn’t lousy both, with Harry Kane up front, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham in midfield, and the likes of John Stones, Kyle Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold in defence.
Selecting one of Saka, Foden and Palmer to sit on the bench, on the other hand, is likely to be a true headache for Southgate, though Watts has tried to reveal why he thinks it will probably be Palmer who struggles to start for his region just still.
Saka around Palmer for England, suggests Arsenal writer
“Gareth Southgate is absolutely a lucky male when it comes to the attacking options he has to phone on this summer season at the Euros,” Watts mentioned.
“I’ve witnessed hundreds of speak about who must engage in out of Saka, Foden or Palmer. And glimpse, Palmer has had an superb time with Chelsea. But he cannot just walk into the group on the eve of a major tournament and press Saka out of the XI.
“Maybe if Saka experienced just arrive off a poor season there could be a discussion, but Saka has experienced however one more exceptional campaign with Arsenal and his record for England speaks for alone.
“Perhaps you could play all 3 alongside one another in some game titles, depending on the opposition. You could have Saka on the proper, Foden on the remaining and Palmer operating centrally powering Kane, with Bellingham and Rice playing as a pair in central midfield. That does come to feel a little bit as well attacking for Southgate and to be honest if any of those gamers are heading to engage in as a No.10 at the rear of Kane, I would like it to be Foden.
“I believe Saka just has anything a little bit different to the other two. He’s a lot more of an out and out winger and I consider that is definitely vital for England more than on the correct. He can extend the enjoy and make the pitch seriously vast about there, which is some thing I do not seriously see occurring as considerably in excess of on the still left.
“So I would count on Saka and Foden to start England’s opening recreation of the match, with Palmer on the bench. The point he is even in the dialogue to be beginning in Germany, nevertheless, reveals how good a year Palmer has relished. He’s been fantastic.”
