Conor Gallagher will replace Trent Alexander-Arnold in the England midfield for the match against Slovenia

England manager Gareth Southgate will make a change to his midfield ahead of Tuesday’s final group match at the 2024 European Championship, bringing on Conor Gallagher for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Southgate’s side lead Group C with four points from their opening two matches and will aim to finish top when they play Slovenia in Cologne.

Normally deployed as a right-back for Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold was deployed in an unfamiliar role alongside Declan Rice against Serbia and Denmark – an idea that has divided opinion.

The 25-year-old was sent off after 54 minutes of the encounter in Denmark, but his three chances created and five boundary-breaking passes in the final third outpaced all other English players.

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Gallagher replaced Alexander-Arnold in both ties and the 24-year-old Chelsea academy graduate is now expected to get a starting spot.

Southgate has made changes to his starting line-up in the third match of his three previous major tournaments and then adjusted them each time for the first knockout round as well, suggesting his selection for Slovenia is not necessarily a sign of things to come as England progress go. .

Speaking to ITV ahead of the match, Rice said: “It’s funny because people were calling for Trent to play in midfield. Half the country is calling for Trent to play in midfield, and then you play him in midfield, and you want to bring him down.

“I don’t understand it, I don’t understand it at all. I will defend all my boys until the day I never put on an England shirt again. Trent is one of the best players I have ever seen. Don’t call on someone to play a certain position and then turn everything back because you think he had a bad game or something.

“I’ll tell you now: Trent can play in midfield. I’ve seen it with England, I’ve seen it with Liverpool, he’s incredible. That’s what I say to the people who say things like that.”

For Slovenia, star striker Benjamin Sesko is nursing a thigh injury ahead of Tuesday’s match, but is expected to start.

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(Top photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images, Lars Baron/Getty Images)