According to ESPN, manager Gareth Southgate is seriously considering starting Kobi Mainu for England’s last-16 tie against Slovakia on Sunday.
The 19-year-old came on as a half-time substitute against Slovenia in England’s final Group C match, and although the game ended 0-0, he helped Mainu improve in the second period.
Southgate was looking for a suitable balance in midfield, switching to Mainu after trying Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher and Arsenal’s Declan Rice with limited success in the group stage.
If the Manchester United midfielder starts in Gelsenkirchen, it will be just his sixth international appearance and the latest in a dramatic rise since making his Premier League debut in November.
With England topping Group C, with just one win and two goals, Southgate is under pressure to show improvement.
The England manager confirmed in his pre-match press conference on Saturday that Luke Shaw would not be fit enough to start against Slovakia, but could play some time off the bench if the medical team deems him ready as he continues to overcome a hamstring problem. It was revealed. This has ruled out the United defender since February.
Southgate is expected to resist making sweeping changes to his line-up, with Mainu likely to be the only change, but Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer are keen to earn their places after coming off as substitutes in the win over Slovenia. The winner will face Switzerland in the quarter-finals in Dusseldorf on Saturday.
