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Alan Shearer believes Gareth Southgate should make one England change for their Euro 2024 final against Spain.
England face La Roja in Berlin after a stunning win against the Netherlands on Wednesday following Ollie Watkins’ late strike.
And the former Three Lions striker insists Luke Shaw, replacing Kieran Trippier at left-back, could offer an extra dimension in attack.
“If you notice, particularly when he brought Luke Shaw on, there were two or three occasions where Kieran Trippier got down the left-hand side and the ball could have come in early,” Shearer said on The Rest is Football Podcast.
“And it didn’t come in, it came back into the middle and the right-hand side and slowed it down.
“Nothing against him defensively but in attacking positions he didn’t get into them and make the most of them. That’s why he brought Luke Shaw on and I thought that was the right thing to do. It went to a three, then a four, a five at times. They played everything at times in that second half.
“I think in terms of the formation, I think he’ll go with the same and it wouldn’t surprise me if he went with Luke Shaw from the start and kept everything else the same.”
Southgate has also conceded Spain will be favourites and that England must be “tactically perfect” to win.
“They would be rightly favourites for what they have done this tournament,” Southgate said. “They have been the best team.
“They have got a day longer and in the last three finals, maybe more, it has been quite significant so we have got to get our recovery spot on. Tactically we will have to be perfect as they are such a good side.”
Southgate elaborated: “They are a bloody good side. Let’s pitch it right. We have got to be perfect to win this game and we will have to find everything that we have got from within us.”