No room for Phil Foden but Marcus Rashford and Trent Alexander-Arnold included as England’s Euro 2024 line-up predicted

With England one of the favourites to win the Euros this summer, everyone has an opinion on who should play.

Whether that involves playing a straight back-four or using three centre-backs or whether or not Trent Alexander-Arnold gets in the team, everyone will be talking about England this summer.

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Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion in the England set-up will spark plenty of debateCredit: Getty

Gareth Southgate, though, is ultimately the only man that matters as England boss and he has some big decisions to make ahead of the first game of the competition in Germany.

But if he happens to be listening to talkSPORT Drive, he would have caught Phil Jagielka’s views on his starting XI come June 16 when the Three Lions take on Serbia in their Euros opener.

Debating alongside Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent, the conversation turned towards England’s hopes at the Euros and how they should line up.

When asked by the Drive duo who would be in his back-four/back-five, Jagielka said: “I think you put Jordan Pickford in goal. He’s never let England down.

“I played with him, it is hilarious because I obviously had Tim Howard for a long, long time but Jordan is different.

“Jordan’s very animated and I’m okay with it because you give as good as you get and you can sort of smile and laugh it off.

“I think once you get used to that and same again, once you bring in a younger centre-half or a centre-half who is not used to playing in front of Jordan, they may find getting shouted at, it might affect their game.

“Obviously, I pick Harry [Maguire] and I pick John [Stones], I do. I pick them both because it’s proven. Right-back, Kyle [Walker]. Left-back, probably [Luke] Shaw.”

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Jagielka was in the talkSPORT studio where he gave us his England starting XI at the EurosCredit: talksport

When Goldstein asked if Trent Alexander-Arnold gets into his side before naming the whole England XI, Jagielka said: “I can’t name the whole team can I!

“It depends what options you want to go for.”

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Goldstein intervened and said: “Who is your front three? Harry Kane down the middle, [Bukayo] Saka on the right. Who’s on the left?

After being asked if he would pick Jack Grealish, Phil Foden or Marcus Rashford, Jagielka said: “I am going Rashford.”

Goldstein continued: “So your midfield is Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and one other.”

Bent chimed in and said: “He is leaving Foden out!”

Jagielka replied: “I’m not! But first game of the tournament, my own personal experience, you don’t lose the first game of the tournament.

“Trust me. It is not a very nice place to be. When you’re in Brazil and you’ve been beaten and you’re chasing it for the rest of the tournament.

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Foden might have had to take a seat on the bench if Jagielka was in charge

“So for me, I’d go a bit negative, I’d have Rashford or Foden off the left hand and Trent [in midfield].”

Jagielka knows all about England heartbreak at international tournaments when he formed a back-four alongside Gary Cahill, Glen Johnson and Leighton Baines at the World Cup in 2014.

England lost the opener against Italy before going on to lose to Uruguay and draw to Costa Rica, finishing bottom of their group and crashing out in disappointment.

This year, the Three Lions face Serbia, Slovenia and Denmark at the group stage – here’s hoping there are no repeats from ten years ago.