Gary Lineker has suggested that Arsenal ace Bukayo Saka was much more effective for England against Switzerland thanks in part to one Manchester City player.
England advanced to the semi-finals after beating Switzerland on penalties, with Manuel Akanji the only player to miss for the Swiss.
England didn’t play particularly well again. But they got the job done, and now face the Dutch in the last four on Wednesday night.
Gareth Southgate will face his sternest test yet in the tournament. While the Netherlands haven’t quite been firing on all cylinders, they have still shown their quality and scored goals.
What will be interesting is if Southgate sticks with a back three and wing-backs.
Against Switzerland, Kyle Walker moved inside to play as a right central defender, with Bukayo Saka operating as a right wing-back – and Gary Lineker liked this particular combination.
Gary Lineker says Kyle Walker allowed Bukayo Saka to play higher up against Switzerland
Walker has come in for some stick over the last few weeks.
He didn’t have a particularly great season for City in 2023/24, and he has not pulled up trees out in Germany.
Indeed, Gabby Agbonlahor recently said that he felt Walker has not had a great tournament. And Stuart Pearce also said that he felt Walker had not shown his world-class level in Germany.
But Lineker felt Walker did a good job against Switzerland.
And he felt him playing on the right of a back three allowed Arsenal star Saka – a player City are said to be long-term admirers of – to push up higher so he could make an impact. And, of course, we saw him score a brilliant equaliser as a result.
Lineker said on the Rest Is Football podcast: “I think Walker again works really well on that side because he is so good defensively.
“And that was the reason that Saka could play so high because even if he doesn’t get back, you know, you have got Walker behind you who is the best in the business at that.”
Southgate could ditch wing-backs v Netherlands
With Marc Guehi now available again after serving his suspension, it could be that Southgate ditches the wing-backs system.
But the manager will potentially look at the fact that England probably put in their best performance against the Swiss, and find it hard to go back to the previous system.
He will be torn though, because Guehi has arguably been England’s best player at the tournament.
Whatever system he goes with, Walker will need to be absolutely on it against the Netherlands.
Cody Gakpo has been playing on that left side for the Dutch, and has been in tremendous form and is currently the joint-top goalscorer at the tournament.
The Liverpool man looks a real threat, so the Manchester City skipper will be tested.
