Former Manchester United captain and football pundit Gary Neville has called for Kobbie Mainoo to start in England’s midfield for their upcoming Euro 2024 Round of 16 match on Sunday.
England’s performance in their final Group C game against Slovenia ended in a lacklustre goalless draw, despite securing the top spot in the group.
Neville expressed his opinion during an ITV segment, stating, “I’m certain Mainoo will start in the next game [on Sunday]. Gareth Southgate thought Gallagher might be the option for the energy we talked about before the game. But I think it was quite obvious that we need someone in there who can get us playing, and Mainoo does that. I think Wharton is capable of that as well.”
Reflecting on England’s performance against Slovenia, Neville remarked, “We looked so basic in the first half, it was a struggle to watch that. It improved a lot in the second half; we didn’t get the result, but there were glimpses of what it can be.”
England, under Gareth Southgate’s leadership, will face either Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, or Belgium in their Round of 16 fixture, aiming to advance further in the Euro 2024 tournament.
