Paul Scholes names England team to face Slovenia with another new position for Trent and competitive debut for starlet
PAUL SCHOLES wants to see Gareth Southgate make two big changes in England’s final group stage match against Slovenia.
The Three Lions are top of the group having beaten Serbia despite then drawing against Denmark.
Trent Alexander-Arnold started in a midfield pair with Declan Rice in both games but came under fire for his performances.
Conor Gallagher is set to now replace the Liverpool full-back – but Manchester United legend Scholes wants to see him stay in the team, albeit in another unfamiliar position for the right-back.
The ex-England international called for Alexander-Arnold to instead replace Kieran Trippier on the left of a back four.
Kyle Walker has started on the right with Trippier forced onto his unfavoured left in the absence of Luke Shaw.
But with Trippier injured, and Shaw still not fit, Southgate needs to find a solution.
Another big change Scholes wants to see is United starlet Kobbie Mainoo partnering Rice in midfield.
Mainoo has made four international appearances – but not yet in a major tournament.
Gallagher is due to come into the starting line up but Scholes – who won 66 England caps – tips Mainoo as the man for the future.
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He told TNT Sports: “Obviously, I said I’d like to see Mainoo come into the midfield.
“I think he is, along with Declan Rice, probably England’s best midfielder.
Talk of dropping Harry Kane is absurd, says Jurgen Klinsmann
NO manager in the world will really care about how many touches their centre-forward has, writes Jurgen Klinsmann.
It’s being widely flagged up that Harry Kane has not seen much of the ball in England’s first two matches but this is not, in itself, going to be a concern for Gareth Southgate.
It’s a nice thing for the stats fanatics to go on about — and there are obviously more and more of them in and around football.
But not all statistics are helpful and this one doesn’t mean a great deal.
Harry has scored one goal, and so nearly two, in two games. It’s not as if he hasn’t been involved at all.
Everybody in England needs to calm down a little about the captain.
Some are even suggesting that he should be dropped or rested for tomorrow’s final group game against Slovenia — but that is totally absurd.
Please stop worrying. He will come good. He always does.
Read Jurgen Klinsmann thoughts on Harry Kane’s struggles in full.
“To have a right back playing in there in your position and you’ve gone as a central midfielder, that won’t be nice. It will be difficult to take.
“I see Kobbie Mainoo in this England squad, in this England team for the next 10 years at least.
“He’ll bring quality into that midfield area that we’ve really lacked. He knows the position, he’s played the position. He’ll help Declan Rice.
“He’ll help Jude Bellingham and he could possibly knit the whole thing together.”