England are adapting to a different format ahead of the Euro 2024 quarter-final

England are thought to have been training differently ahead of Saturday's Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland, suggesting manager Gareth Southgate could be open to a major change after a poor start to the tournament.

The Three Lions came up short in the group stage matches against Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia, collecting just five points and scoring a total of two goals. They were on the brink of going out of the last 16 at the hands of Slovakia until Jude Bellingham stopped the clock.

Southgate has insisted on a 4-2-3-1 formation for each game, selecting the same ten players every time. The only change saw Conor Gallagher replace Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield for the Slovenia game, with Kobbie Mainoo getting that place against Slovakia.

But by chasing this game in the previous round, England finished in a 3-5-2 formation and Daily Mail reported that the system was used again on the training ground on Wednesday.

It suggests that Southgate is ready to set his team that way in Switzerland, playing three back themselves, although there is no indication that it will be from the start of the game or as a possible change in the locker for later.

With Marc Guehi's impressive suspension, there should be at least one defensive change. Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa is the most likely to get the nod in that role, but a 3-5-2 could see Kyle Walker join the full-backs, with wingers rounding out the three on either side.

That kind of system could be useful for Trent Alexander-Arnold, or perhaps the reintroduction of Luke Shaw. Even Bukayo Saka has played at the back if Southgate wants to combine attacking players and find a way to get Anthony Gordon or Cole Palmer into the starting XI.

Of course, Southgate's England teams were unusual in the formation of the back three. At the 2018 World Cup, that system supported a run to the semi-finals, with Walker and Stones joined by Harry Maguire. It has also been seen at Euro 2020, with the same three players making up the centre-backs for the Last 16 against Germany and the final against Italy.

Southgate himself even played behind three in two matches at the 1998 World Cup.

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