Gareth Southgate, England’s manager, faces a challenging task as his team prepares to take on an in-form Switzerland in the quarter-finals in Duesseldorf.
Following Jude Bellingham’s thrilling last-minute goal in the round of 16, England now confronts a Swiss team that proved its strength by defeating defending champions Italy.
A few weeks ago, England would have welcomed a match against Switzerland, a team they have only lost to three times in their 27 encounters, the most recent being in 1981.
However, Murat Yakin’s team has displayed a level of consistency and confidence that has eluded England. Yakin even expressed sympathy for Southgate, who has faced criticism in Germany for not extracting more from his talented squad.
Southgate has faced criticism for his team’s lack of changes, but that may soon change as they’ve practiced with a back three in training. Kyle Walker has been shifted to the right of the central three, and Bukayo Saka could potentially play as a wing-back.
Southgate is particularly worried because Marc Guehi, who performed well on his tournament debut, is suspended for Saturday’s match. Additionally, John Stones has been training with a heavily bandaged leg, and Luke Shaw hasn’t played since February due to injury.
