Gareth Southgate’s side are likely to beat Malta comfortably on Friday. Without Jude Bellingham, James Maddison, or John Stones present, there may be opportunities for fringe players such as Cole Palmer, Rico Lewis or Esri Konsa to earn their debut caps and gain international experience.
Kieran Trippier will begin at left back for Arsenal while Manchester United’s Jordan Henderson and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold should both feature as midfielders.
Football Team Lineups
Gareth Southgate has assembled an outstanding squad to take on Malta in this Euro 2024 qualifier matchup, hoping to maintain his side’s perfect record and secure top seeding for Euro 2024 finals.
Southgate has decided to switch Trent Alexander-Arnold into midfield and bring Declan Rice in for his debut, which will allow Jordan Henderson and Kieran Trippier to move centrally alongside Jordan Henderson in midfield. Meanwhile, Marc Guehi will start in defence while younger English players will also get opportunities as seen in England National Football Team Vs Malta National Football Team Lineups.
Paul Mbong hobbled about with an apparent injury but is expected to resume play. A promising young player, Mbong could become a key member of Maltese team for years to come.
England National Football Team
England will look to build on their impressive start to Euro 2024 qualifying with another victory against Malta, having defeated them 4-0 during their previous meeting and hoping to maintain their 100% record by defeating them again this Friday.
Gareth Southgate has made five changes to his side that beat Italy, including Rico Lewis, Ezri Konsa and Cole Palmer making their senior debuts. These players replace John Stones, Luke Shaw, Ben Chilwell and Jude Bellingham who will all miss their matchup at Wembley Stadium.
Early on, England found it difficult to break through Malta’s tight defence, but Kieran Trippier eventually found space to send in a cross that Marcus Rashford headed home. Paul Mbong hobbled around with an injury but should recover to continue playing; at 22-years-old he is packed with potential and could become an integral member of Malta’s squad in coming years.
Malta National Football Team
Gareth Southgate will look to keep their impressive form alive against Malta, and be amongst the favorites to finish top of their group and secure an advantageous draw at Euro 2024.
Malta are in poor straits after an unsuccessful year on the international scene. They lost all of their competitive matches during 2023 – including two friendlies against Luxembourg and Gibraltar – along with both qualifying games against North Macedonia; thus leaving them in sixth place overall within their group.
The visitors will be without key players like Paul Mbong, Ben Chilwell and Jude Bellingham for this game; however, they have some exciting young talent like Destiny Udogie and Callum Wilson on board who may provide relief in key spots.
Is Malta football team good?
Malta is a small Mediterranean Sea island. They joined FIFA and UEFA in 1959 but have had little luck qualifying for major tournaments since. Their roster features some talented players such as Jodi Jones, Yannick Yankam and Teddy Teuma; under Carlos Alos as manager they are managed.
Malta struggled to contain England’s attacking flair and their defence was vulnerable against counterattack. An own goal by Enrico Pepe gave England an early lead before Harry Kane struck late to ensure victory.
Gareth Southgate made several adjustments to his squad for this match, making first team debuts for Rico Lewis, Ezri Konsa and Cole Palmer while Kyle Walker and Bukayo Saka replaced Conor Gallagher and Fikayo Tomori respectively.
Where does the Malta national team play?
Malta national football team plays its home matches at Ta’ Qali Stadium, one of Malta’s largest stadiums that also hosts matches between local and international teams. Under renovation since 2016, the venue will be finished by 2022 – also serving as main venue for 2024 UEFA European Championship!
England began the game by dominating possession but struggling to break through an aggressive defensive display from Minnows. Gareth Southgate’s side only created clear cut chances at around 60 minutes when Marcus Rashford had his effort blocked and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s volley was easily collected by Bonello.
England appear to be on course for Euro 2024 qualification despite an unexpected defeat, having completed two wins out of three to take top spot in their group and qualify with two matches remaining. Gareth Southgate may make some changes from his side which defeated Italy back in October; Rico Lewis, Ezri Konsa, and Cole Palmer could earn their debut caps for England. UEFA Champions League Final will happen in 2025, it would in top 10 must-watch sporting events will be in 2025.
Final words
Gareth Southgate will look to secure another win against bottom-of-the-table Malta in this Euro 2024 qualifier at Wembley Stadium. His side have won all previous encounters against Malta and victory will likely seal their position in Group C’s top two.
Kieran Trippier finds himself with some space to swing a cross in and Marcus Rashford heads it in for England’s inaugural corner kick of the match. Kyle Walker and Bukayo Saka are brought on in place of Conor Gallagher and Fikayo Tomori to inject some pace into England’s attack.
Cole Palmer and Rico Lewis will be hoping to make their national team debuts. Both players have enjoyed strong seasons for their clubs this season and will look to add their impressive international records. Without James Maddison, Jude Bellingham or Lewis Dunk in the starting eleven, this young duo should have ample opportunity to impress Gareth Southgate when earning their initial caps.
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