Fans criticise Jeff Stelling’s ‘shocking’ choices as he names his bizarre starting XI for England’s opening Euro 2024 clash against Serbia with three key stars left out

Jeff Stelling has left fans baffled with his bizarre starting lineup for England’s opening Euro 2024 clash against Serbia.

Ahead of Sunday’s eagerly-anticipated fixture, the talKSPORT presenter was asked to name which players he would choose.

Stelling’s selection could certainly be described as bold as he chose to leave three key players out of his team.

England will be aiming to go one better than Euro 2020, when they were beaten on penalties in the final by Italy.

As well as facing Serbia, the Three Lions will also be up against Denmark and Slovenia in Group C. 

Stelling has surprisingly elected to leave John Stones, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka out of his team.

The central-defensive partnership of Marc Guehi and Lewis Dunk is unlikely to inspire much confidence, while Stelling has called for Anthony Gordon to start out wide.

Stones has had injury struggles, which could partly explain his omission from Stelling’s team, but the defence looks rather weak without him.

Foden also fails to make Stelling’s team, with Cole Palmer being included instead.

Stelling’s full XI reads: Pickford, Walker, Guehi, Dunk, Trippier, Alexander-Arnold, Rice, Palmer, Bellingham, Gordon and Kane.

One fan criticised Stelling as they wrote: ‘This team would get washed!’.

Another remarked: ‘What is that’.

John Stones, who has been struggling with an injury, wasn’t included in Stelling’s team

Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden were also, rather bizarrely, both not included in Stelling’s team

Meanwhile, another fan claimed it would be ‘the funniest experience of all time’ if such a lineup was named.

They wrote: ‘PLEASE play this it would be the funniest experience of all time’.

Another fan wrote: ‘This is actually shocking’.

In addition, another fan stated: ‘Well, thank god Jeff Stelling isn’t the England manager.’