England vs Slovenia – Euro 2024: Live score, team news and updates as Gareth’s Southgate’s side look to wrap up Group C with a win, plus updates from Denmark vs Serbia
Big news from the France camp…
Kylian Mbappe is BACK for France and will start today’s match against Poland.
Words cannot describe how important Real Madrid’s glittering new superstar is to the Les Bleus army and his return gives them a huge boost ahead of the knockout stages.
Today will mark the first time Mbappe has played since breaking nose broken against Austria, so he’ll be donning a protect face mask for the remainder of the tournament.
Kylian Mbappe makes masked return as he STARTS against Poland
Carragher: ‘Topping the group is crucial’
If they put in the same performance as they did against Denmark, few would fancy England to progress past the likes of Spain or Germany.
So topping the group must be the aim tonight – and that’s exactly what Jamie Carragher has urged on Sky Sports today.
‘I find it quite difficult to make a case for England beating either of those teams,’ he’s said.
A win tonight would not only secure top spot – it would inspire hope that England CAN go on to beat the best sides so far in Germany.
England fans peaking early
It looks as though it has all been a bit too much for this England fan who was spotted taking a nap at a Cologne pub.
Thousands of fans have been pictured today sipping pints in 30C sunshine.
Let’s hope he wakes up before kick-off!
Other action tonight
It’s not just England who are set to learn their fate tonight, but the action also concludes in Group D.
Those games kick off at 5PM with France facing already-eliminated Poland, while the Netherlands take on Austria.
The top three teams can all still win the group and given England could play the third placed team in the last-16 stage, fans will be keeping a keen eye on the goings-on.
And you can keep up to date with the latest action from Group D thanks to Mail Sport…
Netherlands vs Austria – Euro 2024: Live score, team news and updates
Euro 2024 permutations
With four of the best third-placed teams out of the six groups set to reach the last-16 stage, the permutations heading into the final round of games at Euro 2024 throw up all sorts of questions.
If England win Group C tonight, they are expected to play one of the best third-placed teams from either Group D, Group E or Group F, depending on which groups secure an extra qualification place.
The nations currently occupying those spots are Austria, Slovakia and Czechia respectively.
We’ve done our best to explain all the permuations below and how to work out who England are expected to play…
Euro 2024 permutations: Who will England play in the last-16?
Footy fever spreads to UK beaches
Euros fever has swept across the country while people lap up the beautiful weather.
Below, these Southampton students can be seen cheering England on at Bournemouth beach.
Huge crowds of people were seen flocking to the seaside ahead of tonight’s game.
Good memories for Kane against Slovenia
Let’s hope for more scenes like this tonight…
Gary Neville names his England team
We’re expecting just the one change tonight, with Conor Gallagher replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield.
But Gary Neville, one-time manager of Valencia and an England coach between 2012 and 2016 during Roy Hodgson’s tenure, has had his say.
Take a look at his team for tonight below…
Gary Neville names BIZARRE much-changed England team
The key questions for England
Mail Sport experts SAMI MOKBEL and CRAIG HOPE discuss some of the biggest talking points ahead of tonight’s game with Slovenia.
A reminder that a victory will secure top spot in Group C for England.
Kick off is just over four hours away…
The man tasked with fixing England’s midfield
Conor Gallagher is the man that has been charged with breathing new life into England’s underwhelming Euro 2024 campaign.
Gareth Southgate’s midfield experiment with Trent Alexander-Arnold failed to deliver so Gallagher, who came off the bench to replace the Liverpool star in the opening two games, will now start ahead of him in their final Group C clash against Slovenia.
For some England fans, the inclusion of Gallagher – just like the Three Lions’ start to Euro 2024 – is perceived as an underwhelming one. The Chelsea player is more defensively minded than Alexander-Arnold – one of the most creative players this country has to offer.
However, whatever shortcomings Gallagher may have in the minds of some, the attributes he provides could give England’s campaign the shot in the arm it badly needs.
Read all about the man Southgate hopes will transform his side below…
Conor Gallagher is the man to fix England’s midfield
England fans seen soaking up the sun in Cologne
England fans have been pictured mucking around in 30C heat in Cologne today ahead of tonight’s clash.
Topless supporters were seen kicking footballs in Cologne’s old cobbled Alter Markt square.
Supporters also sipped pints and chatted to one another ahead of kick-off.
Lineker was right – IAN HERBERT
The criticism heading England’s way has divided fans, with some claiming Lineker overstepped the mark, while others have argued Gareth Southgate’s side deserve to be shot at after two unsatisfactory displays.
Mail Sport’s IAN HERBERT took Lineker’s side, claiming the former striker and BBC host was spot on with his criticism.
He also urged Harry Kane and England’s stars to not take the criticism so personally.
Read his full thoughts below…
Gary Lineker was right on England, writes IAN HERBERT
How does Group C look?
It’s a good sign for the competitiveness of Euro 2024 that all four teams in England’s group can still progress to the knockout stages heading into the final game.
But there’s no doubt the Three Lions are in pole position to ensure they go through in first place, although they’ll have a close eye on Denmark vs Serbia nonetheless.
Both games kick off at 8PM tonight and it promises to be an evening full of drama.
A potential problem for England?
Let’s hope not! But to the superstitious among us, tonight’s game against Slovenia is on ITV Sport.
England’s dismal record on the channel has led to the creation of the ‘ITV curse’, with the Three Lions having won just seven of their last 30 major tournament games on the channel dating back to 1998.
ITV were also the broadcaster when England were dumped out of the 2022 Qatar World Cup by France in the quarter-finals.
Surely, not again…
England must overcome dreaded ‘ITV curse’ to beat Slovenia
Last time out
It wasn’t a very good display from England against Denmark on Thursday, although they did at least manage to keep control of Group C by securing a draw.
Harry Kane put the Three Lions ahead after good work from Kyle Walker, but the Bayern Munich star otherwise struggled and was replaced midway through the second half.
Morten Hjulmand equalised for the Danes soon after Kane’s opener with a fine effort and England had Jordan Pickford to thank that it wasn’t worse.
Recap on the highlights from that clash below (if you can bear it)…
Kane comes out firing
As ever with England at tournaments, the scrutiny on the team has been immense, something which has only been enhanced by two underwhelming displays.
A big feature of the past few days has been players hitting back at pundits, particularly Gary Lineker, who described the Three Lions’ display against Denmark as ‘s***’.
England skipper Harry Kane took umbrage at this and came out firing on Sunday when speaking to the press.
Read what he had to say below…
Harry Kane hits back at Gary Lineker’s criticism after Denmark draw
Big evening for England
It’s not been the smoothest of rides so far in Germany for Gareth Southgate’s side.
England have most certainly underwhelmed in their first two Euro 2024 games, with the Three Lions narrowly beating Serbia 1-0 before they drew 1-1 with Denmark.
But, it’s still all in their hands, and a win tonight would guarantee England top spot in Group C and a so-called ‘easier draw’ in the last-16 stage.
Good Afternoon
And welcome to Mail Sport’s live coverage of England’s crunch final group clash against Slovenia at Euro 2024.
Stay with us for all the build-up, team news and updates from throughout the match in Cologne.
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