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Fans have blasted England manager Gareth Southgate for his starting XI against Ukraine in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier in Warsaw on Saturday (September 9).
The Three Lions have been perfect thus far after four games in Group C, scoring 15 goals and conceding just once. Jordan Pickford starts in goal against Ukraine. Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, Ben Chilwell, and Marc Guehi are the four defenders.
Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and James Maddison are the other starters. Southgate, though, has drawn flak for starting with Maguire and Henderson and dropping Marcus Rashford to the bench.
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Maguire made his lone competitive appearance of the season for Manchester United against Arsenal last weekend in a 23-minute cameo. Meanwhile, Henderson, who joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq, has had two assists in four league appearances. Rashford has a goal and an assist in four league games for Manchester United.
One fan called Southgate a 'clown' for starting Maguire, tweeting:
"Maguire starting? Southgate is a clown."
Another chimed in, questioning the selection of Maguire and Henderson in England's starting XI:
"England arguably have the best pool of talent in international football yet Southgate manages to make it look uninspiring and underwhelming every time. Maguire and Henderson in 2023?! The sooner he leaves the better."
Here are some of the top reactions on X, formerly called Twitter:
This is the Three Lions' first game in Warsaw, Poland (neutral venue), since drawing 1-1 with the Poles in a friendly in 2021.
Former Manchester City defender offers take on England captain Harry Kane
England captain Harry Kane has moved to Bayern Munich from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, seeking a new challenge and a better chance to win silverware. He has made a good start in Bavaria, bagging three goals and an assist in three league games.
Kane is the Three Lions' record goalscorer with 58 goals in 84 appearances and remains a top player despite turning 30 earlier this year. Former Manchester City Nedum Onuoha said about the England captain on BBC Radio 5 Live ahead of the Ukraine game:
"We have seen Harry Kane be a very good player for many years. Now he is at a club where they expect to win. All the eyes and talk will be around him. Maybe he is not even Bayern’s best player."
"At 30, you understand the game more clearly than ever before. I think it will be huge for England, this is the generation where there is expectation that these lads should win, so being at Bayern Munich where there is such expectation is perfect for him."
Kane has been in superb form in the ongoing Euro qualifiers, bagging five goals and an assist in four games, scoring in every outing. That includes a brace and an assist in the 7-0 home win over North Macedonia on matchday four in June.
