Gary Neville has demanded three changes to the England squad for their matchup against Slovakia in the Euro 2024 last-16, stating that “something is not right” with Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham had a fantastic start to the tournament, leading the Three Lions ahead of Serbia after only 13 minutes and putting in a commanding first-half performance in England’s opening match.
Bellingham was anticipated to step up after scoring his first goal in the Euros and become one of the stars in Germany, especially following his incredible first season at Real Madrid, where he won both La Liga and the Champions League.
However, Bellingham failed to impress in England’s next two group games against Slovenia and Denmark, which confused and worried former Manchester United defender Neville.
‘The big question and the one that everyone is avoiding this week is Jude Bellingham,’ Neville said on the Stick to Football show, brought to you by Sky Bet.
‘To be fair, the idea of him being left out would be unthinkable 10 days ago. But at the moment, I don’t know, there’s something not right about him. I don’t know what’s happened.’
Neville’s former Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane then added: ‘There’s something amiss. Why shouldn’t he be left out?
It’s Gareth’s responsibility to make such important judgments sometimes. It doesn’t matter what these guys performed two or three weeks before; in a tournament, the dynamics are different.
Even though they won Group C and advanced to the knockout stages, England will still need to do better if they are to win the European championship and break the country’s 58-year men’s major prize drought.
The Three Lions’ next match is a last-16 match against Slovakia, who took one point from Romania and Ukraine and finished third in Group E after pulling off an upset against Belgium.
Neville believes Trent Alexander-Arnold should start Sunday’s match at right-back, allowing Kyle Walker to move across to the left in replace of struggling Kieran Trippier.
The ex-England defender would also start Kobbie Mainoo in midfield following his bright cameo against Slovenia and play Chelsea’s Cole Palmer on the right ahead of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka.
‘Kobbie Mainoo has to be in there, he will start,’ Neville added. ‘And I think I would bring in Trent for Trippier.
‘On the right, I think I would bring in Cole Palmer for Saka. I love Saka to bits but I just think Palmer has to play now. So I would bring in Trent, Mainoo and Palmer.’
Meanwhile, England legend Wayne Rooney has also revealed his ‘worry’ over Bellingham and criticised his body language at the Euros.
‘Watching England against Slovenia, I focused on Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane to try to understand how they are working together,’ he told The Times. ‘What I saw left me worried. Jude’s body language told you a lot.
‘Three or four times in the first half he could not hide his frustration. He was trying to lead things by running past Harry to pressure the ball, the Slovenians would pass round him and he’d find nobody was backing up his run.
‘For an attacking player that’s one of the worst feelings you can have. He was turning round to look at others and throwing his arms up. Body language like that sends a message to the fans, to his team-mates, to the manager.
‘I’ve been there. I know exactly the position he’s in. I found myself in that headspace many times in international football, and at certain points in my club career.
“I only hope that his frustration doesn’t get the better of him and he gets sent off or does something foolish that hurts himself.” It appeared as though he was coming close against Slovenia.