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Gareth Southgate will today name his England squad for two upcoming fixtures against Malta and North Macedonia.
The Three Lions currently top their Euro 2024 qualifying group, and six further points here will leave them looking well on track to make the tournament having already beaten Italy and Ukraine.
These pair of games in June will effectively mark the end of the men’s season, with no summer tournament and club football coming to an end beforehand, meaning a potentially big chance to impress for some players as the qualification campaign reaches the halfway stage.
Newcastle’s Callum Wilson, Brighton’s Lewis Dunk and Leicester’s James Maddison are all tipped to be included after strong individual ends to the season, despite contrasting form for their clubs.
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Across Europe, it is a time of new beginnings and new eras, of new players and new managers. That can be the way after major tournaments: disappointments lead to clearouts, international retirements to opportunities, different regimes to a shift in thinking and personnel. Then there is England. While change has been a guiding theme, whether for France or Germany, Spain or Italy, Gareth Southgate’s side have been Europe’s kings of continuity.
Two games have brought one brief debut, for Ivan Toney. Nine of their World Cup quarter-final starting 11 began the first Euro 2024 qualifier. If the broader theme is one of more of the same, but preferably with a different ending featuring the glint of silverware, the fixture list offered precious little scope for experimentation: not when the first game was Italy in Naples. With six points from six, the tried and trusted have passed their test. Southgate was considering his future until the World Cup. England now have added reasons to be glad he stayed on.
Rich Jolly on Southgate’s fourth iteration of England:
Bellingham and Saka are the new untouchables in Southgate’s England 4.0
There is a temptation to glimpse at an England teamsheet and conclude that very little has changed. Actually, quite a bit has
Newcastle striker Callum Wilson set for England recall
Callum Wilson is in line for an England recall as boss Gareth Southgate waits on Jude Bellingham’s fitness.
Newcastle striker Wilson has scored 11 goals since he was overlooked for the European Championship qualifying wins against Italy and Ukraine in March.
On Wednesday Southgate names his squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers in Malta on June 16 and at home to North Macedonia in Manchester on June 19, with England top of Group C.
Wilson has helped spearhead the Magpies’ top-four charge and they confirmed their return to the Champions League after 20 years with Monday’s 0-0 draw against Leicester.
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