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Date(s) - June 30, 2024 - July 1, 2024
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GO LIVE=>>> England vs Slovakia Live

STREAMING==>>> Slovakia vs England Live

England v Slovakia LIVE: Team news, build-up and latest updates ahead of Euro 2024 last-16 tie

England take on Slovakia in the round of 16 as the Euro 2024 knockouts continue today. Gareth Southgate’s side have returned to Gelsenkirchen for this clash, playing in the only stadium to yield a win for them so far in the tournament.

After a slim victory over Serbia and two unconvincing draws versus Denmark and Slovenia, the Three Lions need to put in a strong performance if they hope to comfortably reach the last eight. With the team and manager under heavy scrutiny for their style of play a win over Slovakia will ease concerns going forward.

Despite outside noise, Southgate insists his players have no fear of the knockout rounds and told the media: “It could be another brilliant night to create more memories for our supporters. Tomorrow, it’s about the team progressing. We shouldn’t have a fear of losing, it’s about opportunity. We are trying to reach for something which is a challenge.”

Slovakia reached this round by sneaking through a tight Group E having finished on the same number of points as Romania, Belgium and Ukraine. They had a goal difference of zero and secured third spot to set up this encounter with England.

Everything you need to know about England v Slovakia
England face Slovakia in their first knockout match at Euro 2024 in what turns out to be a favourable draw for Gareth Southgate’s side. Faced with the prospect of playing the Netherlands in the last 16, Georgia’s historic win over Portugal means England instead go up against Group E’s third-place finishers.

That is the benefit of topping Group C and the reward for not losing any of their group games. Southgate’s side have failed to impress over their three matches having scored just two goals without providing a consistent threat. Yet, they went through unbeaten and know they have the scope for mass improvement.

Questions have been asked about England’s formation and personnel as pundits, fans and the players themselves all seek solutions to a lack of spark shown so far.

After safely navigating the group stage, England’s quest for Euro 2024 glory enters the knockout phase when they face Slovakia on Sunday.The teams convene in Gelsenkirchen with a place in the quarter-finals at stake, and Switzerland will be the winners’ next opponents.

Although not ready to start after such a long layoff, England’s first-choice left-back Luke Shaw has made himself available for Sunday’s game – the opening goalscorer in the Euro 2020 final is yet to feature because of a hamstring problem.

His return is timely, as stand-in Kieran Trippier joined midfield mainstay Declan Rice in training separately from the main group in midweek; meanwhile, Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon sustained several minor injuries after falling off a bike but will still be fit to play.

Phil Foden returns from a trip home for the birth of his child, so Gareth Southgate’s apparently irresolvable selection dilemma in the final third goes on: Gordon and Cole Palmer head the long queue for promotion from the bench.

Incidentally, Foden is one of four players who would miss out on a quarter-final if booked: Trippier, Conor Gallagher and Marc Guehi are the others.

Meanwhile, captain Harry Kane will try to step up a gear following a subdued start to the summer: the Bayern Munich man has scored six goals in his last six knockout appearances at major tournaments – in fact, his overall tally of seven so far is the most of any English player to date.

Another certain selection is Jordan Pickford: across the last two Euros, England have kept more clean sheets than any other nation – seven from 10 games – and each one has featured the Everton goalkeeper between the posts. The only other men with more European Championship clean sheets are Spain’s Iker Casillas (nine), Netherlands’ Edwin van der Sar (eight) and Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon (also eight).

Slovakia’s lineup tends to change very little under Francesco Calzona, so goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, centre-back Milan Skriniar and midfield metronome Stanislav Lobotka should again form the underdogs’ spine.

The latter is supported by Ondrej Duda and Juraj Kucka, while either David Strelec or Boavista striker Robert Bozenik will most likely be joined by Lukas Haraslin and Ivan Schranz up front.

Hellas Verona forward Tomas Suslov has made an impact as a substitute but is not expected to displace Haraslin on the Falcons’ left flank.

Both Duda and Schranz are one booking away from a ban, which would rule them out of a potential last-eight contest next Saturday.

England possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Mainoo, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane

Slovakia possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Bozenik, Haraslin sdgdfgfdg