Gareth Southgate admitted he is still weighing up whether to start Luke Shaw or Kieran Trippier at left-back for England’s Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands on Wednesday.
The Manchester United defender got his first minutes of the Euros in the quarter-final win over Switzerland, coming on as a substitute as England won on penalties to reach the final four.
Newcastle United’s Kieran Trippier has filled in at left-back throughout England’s Euro 2024 campaign but has not offered the same attacking thrust as Shaw due to being naturally right-footed.
Earlier in the week, Shaw declared himself ‘fit and ready to start’ in Dortmund but Southgate insisted he will have plenty to consider as he mulls over his starting line-up for Wednesday’s clash.
‘Luke Shaw has been injured for four months, it wasn’t a possibility for him to play until the last match where he made a good contribution to the game,’ he told reporters on Tuesday.
‘We have to decide if he is ready to start and whether that is the best way to use him but we are very happy to have him back.
‘He gives us a different balance to the team, but Kieran Trippier has done a fantastic job. He has had many important nights with us over the last seven or eight years.
‘He’s great around the squad, how he is with the rest of the players and the staff, and we are very fortunate to have players like him in our squad.’
Vying to reach their first-ever major tournament final on foreign soil, England have to contend with a bleak recent record against the Dutch having won once in their last nine meetings since a 4-1 win at Euro 96.
However, captain Harry Kane insisted the squad will lean on their past near-misses as they seek to reach Sunday’s showpiece finale.
‘I think you just use past experiences to help. We’ve got a lot of players who have experienced big games at a club and international level,’ he said.
‘You try and use all that to prepare you in the best way possible and control the nerves and excitement.
‘Tomorrow night will be no different, we had a goal and target of where we want to be and what we think’s achievable. Step by step we’re getting closer to that target. We prepare for tomorrow night like any other game.
‘I just think during the game you lean on experience, the leaders who have been there and done that. Ultimately it’s about going out there and taking the opportunity with both hands.
‘Reaching back-to-back European Championship finals would be an amazing achievement and we have the opportunity to go and do that.’
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