Gareth: Old head Jordan still has big part to play

ENGLAND head coach Gareth Southgate is giving serious consideration to handing Kobbie Mainoo a Euro 2024 audition as a starter tonight. The Manchester United teenager was only added to the squad as a late call-up last week but having made his international debut from the bench against Brazil on Saturday, the 18-year-old could start against Belgium tonight. With the clash at Wembley England’s last game before Southgate selects his squad for the tournament in Germany, a good performance from Mainoo could be enough for him to gatecrash the final party. Southgate will initially name an extended group before cutting it down to 23. Mainoo could feature in a young midfield including 25year-old Declan Rice — who will captain England for the first time on his 50th cap — and Jude Bellingham, 20. When asked whether the emergence of Bellingham and Mainoo represented a changing of the guard in England’s midfield in terms of the futures of mainstays Kalvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson, Southgate replied: ‘We have to move with the best we have available.’ ‘I think a good Phillips — he has been our best player over 2021 and 2022 — there’s still a player there that can be important for the balance of the team and cover for Declan because that is concern. ‘Hendo understands where he is, he is more of a senior player now. He’s not necessarily the one we are going to start in the games like Brazil — but he could still be crucial for us. The team isn’t just about technical ability. That nous, that understanding of how to win, that organisation of others. ‘There are players that help teams function, you can’t just pick 11 talents, it’s all got to come together.’