In his latest Sky Sports column, Paul Merson says England will either win the Euro 2024 final by one goal or get destroyed and hopes Gareth Southgate’s side aren’t just a “nearly team'”.
Read on for the Magic Man’s thoughts on where the final will be won and lost, and whether Gareth Southgate should continue as England boss for the next World Cup….
‘England have to start well – no more bad 45 minutes’
It’s a heads or tails game.
What an opportunity for these players.
Spain have had the harder games but this is a one-off game. Whoever gets in the moment and performs on the day wins. Spain have got some young players who will be very nervous.
The players will be restless tonight, playing the game over and over in their heads.
We’ve got to start well. We’ve had bad 45 minutes in this tournament against lesser teams than Spain – if we have another one, we will get demolished.
But if we turn in a performance like in the first half against Serbia or the first half against Netherlands then I expect us to win it.
We win by the odd goal or we get destroyed.
If both teams play to their potential, we win – we’ve got a better squad but it’s not that simple. Anything can happen. That’s why we love football.
‘Shape is a dilemma for Southgate – I’d play a back four’
The back three has worked a treat but that will suit Spain because of Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal. It’s OK Kyle Walker going out to Williams but will Marc Guehi want to go out to Yamal?
I would play a back four with Walker and Kieran Trippier as full-backs, as Yamal will want to come onto his left and that suits Trippier.
Will Yamal and Williams have to track back or will they open the game up and make it a polo pitch? It will be a case of who will blink first.
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Former Spain and Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata hails the impact of Lamine Yamal at the Euros and also backs how own country to beat England in the final on Sunday
‘No-one remembers how France played in the group stages in 1998’
I didn’t think this would happen in my lifetime. We’ve had some unbelievable football teams with some unbelievable players but I expect us to win every tournament now.
You don’t want to be known as a nearly team. You have to produce. They have done that, dug in, by getting goals in the last minute, penalties – is it written in the stars for us? We’ve ridden our luck but we’re there.
If they play well and get beat, we can hold our hands up and say Spain were the better team. But we don’t want to play like we’ve done for 45 minutes in some games as that would be a disappointment.
No-one remembers how France did in their group stages in 1998 but we all remember them beating Brazil in the final. And that’s all it comes down to.
‘Southgate should stay’
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Sky Sports’ Paul Merson urges Gareth Southgate to stay as England manager after the Euros and says it is the pinnacle of any job in football
You’ll never get higher than this. You’re England manager. It’s the dream. Don’t throw it away.
You stay until the FA want to get rid of you. The World Cup is two years away and these chances don’t come around often, so stay.
He’s been amazing. He’s got so much stick off all of us and he hasn’t lost his temper, he hasn’t made any snide remarks. He’s been a credit. I hope he wins it.
And come Monday he’ll be Sir Gareth Southgate.