Exclusive: Arsenal expert tips “exceptional” PL star to only make the bench for England at Euro 2024

Arsenal expert Charles Watts thinks Gunners winger Bukayo Saka will get the nod to start for England at Euro 2024 this summer, despite the competition from Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest column for the Daily Briefing, Watts praised Palmer’s exceptional form for Chelsea in the season just gone, but tipped Gareth Southgate to go for Saka and Foden as his main attacking midfield players at the Euros.

It’s fair to say England look spoilt for choice in that department after all three of Saka, Foden and Palmer enjoyed superb seasons in the Premier League, while the rest of the Three Lions squad isn’t bad either, with Harry Kane up front, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham in midfield, and the likes of John Stones, Kyle Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold in defence.

Picking one of Saka, Foden and Palmer to sit on the bench, however, is likely to be a real headache for Southgate, though Watts has attempted to explain why he thinks it will likely be Palmer who struggles to start for his country just yet.

Saka over Palmer for England, says Arsenal writer

“Gareth Southgate is certainly a lucky man when it comes to the attacking options he has to call upon this summer at the Euros,” Watts said.

“I’ve seen loads of talk about who should play out of Saka, Foden or Palmer. And look, Palmer has had an outstanding season with Chelsea. But he can’t just walk into the team on the eve of a major tournament and push Saka out of the XI.

“Maybe if Saka had just come off a poor season there could be a debate, but Saka has had yet another excellent campaign with Arsenal and his record for England speaks for itself.

“Perhaps you could play all three together in some games, depending on the opposition. You could have Saka on the right, Foden on the left and Palmer operating centrally behind Kane, with Bellingham and Rice playing as a pair in central midfield. That does feel a bit too attacking for Southgate and to be honest if any of those players are going to play as a No.10 behind Kane, I would prefer it to be Foden.

“I think Saka just has something a bit different to the other two. He’s more of an out and out winger and I think that’s really important for England over on the right. He can stretch the play and make the pitch really wide over there, which is something I don’t really see happening as much over on the left.

“So I would expect Saka and Foden to start England’s opening game of the tournament, with Palmer on the bench. The fact he is even in the conversation to be starting in Germany, however, shows how good a season Palmer has enjoyed. He’s been exceptional.”