Phil Foden and Mason Mount set to be recalled for England’s clash with Germany

Phil Foden and Mason Mount set to be recalled into the starting line-up for England’s last-16 clash against old rivals Germany though Bukayo Saka could miss out despite impressive display against Czech Republic

  • Phil Foden and Mason Mount are expected to start England’s clash with Germany
  • Bukayo Saka could miss out as a result despite impressing last time out
  • John Stones says England are determined to make their own history at the Euros

Phil Foden looks set to return for England their last-16 game against Germany on Tuesday with Mason Mount in contention to start after being confined to quarantine.

And such is the confidence around the squad that John Stones says they are determined to make history and become the first England team to win the Euros.

Foden was scheduled to start the last group game against the Czech Republic last week until Mount was forced out of the team because of the Covid quarantine regulations, which were invoked after his chat with Chelsea team-mate Billy Gilmour in the Wembley tunnel after the Scotland game. 

Phil Foden and Mason Mount are both in contention to start Tuesday’s game with Germany

Gareth Southgate's men are set for their biggest test yet against their old rivals Germany

Gareth Southgate’s men are set for their biggest test yet against their old rivals Germany

England manager Gareth Southgate explained to Foden that he could not risk potentially being without both Mount and Foden, who was on a yellow card, for the last 16. Another yellow card would have seen Foden suspended, with Mount’s participation also in severe doubt at that stage.

Southgate sees both as key starters and there is an expectation that Foden, having been rested, will come back into the team, at the expense of Bukayo Saka, who was man of the match against the Czechs.

Mount remains a doubt but his fitness and ability to train individually, along with Ben Chilwell who is also isolating, means that there is growing hope he could start if needed.

Both players are joining in team meetings on Zoom and there has been an effort to keep them involved in squad activities where possible, with the midweek Ed Sheeran concert taking place outside their hotel rooms so they could watch from their balconies.

Bukayo Saka is expected to miss out despite impressing against the Czech Republic

Bukayo Saka is expected to miss out despite impressing against the Czech Republic

Mount’s quarantine ends at midnight on Monday, so he could participate in team meetings on Tuesday morning.

Though the England team have trained in a back three, there is no definitive indication as to whether Southgate will change his system to 3-4-3 to match up Germany’s wing backs at Wembley.

Defender John Stones insists that the team will not be burdened by the past defeats by Germany, in 1990, 1996 and 2010, but instead were anticipating making their own history. ‘That’s one of the things that’s motivating us,’ said Stones. ‘It’s at the forefront of our minds.

‘No England team has lifted a European Championship trophy before. If we did, it would be history. I don’t want to say we would be legends. We want to do it for ourselves, our families but for us as a nation.

Mount was forced out of the team to quarantine while Foden was also left out of the squad

Mount was forced out of the team to quarantine while Foden was also left out of the squad

‘We know how privileged we are to play for England and to do it back home or to do it in England would be extra-special. We want to make history. We really want to change the way the nation looks at the team and English football. I think we’ve taken massive strides in doing that since 2018 and it’s about doing it again.

‘I don’t think we should put any more pressure on ourselves but there’s a trophy there to be won here that’s never been won before and we should be super-excited by that. There’s a real hunger there which is so natural to everyone. I haven’t seen it as much in previous squads before 2018.

‘When we come up against Germany on Tuesday, it’s a time to really test ourselves and show not just Europe, but the world, what a good team we are.

‘Obviously we give Germany massive respect as you do any top class team but we have to go out and show ourselves and implement our game.’



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