England manager Gareth Southgate may avoid risking his Champions League-winning Manchester City quintet for Friday's Euro 2024 qualifying Group C clash with Malta at the National Stadium.

Jack Grealish, John Stones, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden and Kalvin Phillips are all due to link up with the squad before the trip to Ta' Qali, but having partied hard on the streets of Manchester, they may be spared for Friday's game.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham and Brighton & Hove Albion defender Lewis Dunk have also pulled out of the squad due to injury, joining Mason Mount, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling and the banned Ivan Toney on the absentee list.

Southgate should therefore not be averse to testing out a few fringe players, but Jordan Pickford will expect to fend off Aaron Ramsdale for the number one spot as ever.

Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold will go head-to-head for the right-back spot, and the former may win that battle, while Luke Shaw's place on the left should not be in any danger.

Despite warming the bench at Manchester United more often than not these days, Harry Maguire should be given the nod at centre-back, where Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi ought to join him.

Guehi's Eagles teammate Eberechi Eze will endeavour to make his Three Lions debut in the engine room, but the 24-year-old might have to be content with a place among the substitutes as Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson and Conor Gallagher link arms in the middle.

Given a relative lack of attacking options for the time being, a fearsome front three of Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka - who scored 61 Premier League goals combined last season - should line up from the off.

England possible starting lineup: Pickford; Trippier, Guehi, Maguire, Shaw; Gallagher, Rice, Henderson; Saka, Kane, Rashford

Written by
Ben Knapton