Brown Urges Southgate to Consider Palmer or Gordon for England’s Key Euro 2024 Quarter-Final Clash

England narrowly dodged a departure from Euro 2024 after a thrilling comeback against Slovakia. They now gear up to clash with Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

Gareth Southgate faces pressure to tweak his lineup by including Anthony Gordon or Cole Palmer in Saturday’s critical match, according to ex-England defender Wes Brown.

In a breathtaking moment last Sunday, Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick in the 95th minute against Slovakia pushed the game into overtime. Shortly after, Harry Kane secured the victory with a header, catapulting England into the quarters with a 2-1 win.

Despite minimal lineup changes throughout the tournament, Brown advocates for integrating young blood. “Southgate has kept his core team, but we’ve seen sparks when Palmer steps in,” he said during an interview at Adidas Football’s HQ in Berlin. “It’s about whether we shake things up for the next challenge.”

“Overall, it’s not as if the team’s performance has dipped, but no one has truly shone either,” Brown added. He suggested that introducing Palmer, given his current form, could enhance the team’s dynamics.

England’s journey to the top of Group C was gritty rather than stylish, netting only two goals from three matches and registering the lowest expected goals tally.

Brown lauded the squad’s resilience, especially Bellingham’s goal that marked their first on-target attempt against Slovakia.

“Though we’re scraping through without much flair, the crucial thing is we’re still in the fight,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, England suffered a setback as Marc Guehi was suspended early in their last match. The search for John Stones’ new defensive partner is a hot topic, with Brown mentioning Ezri Konza and Lewis Dunk as potential candidates. “Konza would likely step in, though nothing’s set in stone,” he concluded.