England manager Gareth Southgate has a plethora of selection dilemmas in all areas of the pitch for this summer's rescheduled European Championships.
The Three Lions are gearing up for their first Euros campaign under Southgate, who will currently be focused on his side's ventures in qualification for the 2022 World Cup as England prepare to take on San Marino, Albania and Poland later this month.
However, the top performers in these fixtures could certainly give Southgate some selection headaches when it comes to this summer's continental tournament, and with the prospect of other players returning from injury in time to put their names in the hat, competition could hardly be more fierce for places in the setup.
With that in mind, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how England could line up at the Euros.
Jordan Pickford's injury allows Nick Pope, Dean Henderson and the uncapped Sam Johnstone the chance to play their way into Southgate's good books, but England's number one is in no danger of losing his spot in the team when fully fit - especially after some stellar showings for Everton this term - so Pickford should act as the last line of defence if fully fit.
Three familiar faces are likely to line up in front of the Everton man, as John Stones's remarkable season at Manchester City means that he surely warrants a spot in defence over Eric Dier and Conor Coady, while Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker are likely to occupy the final spots in Southgate's customary back three, despite pressure from Michael Keane.
The England manager affirmed that Trent Alexander-Arnold was dropped from the squad for March's fixtures due to tactical reasons, and with the likes of Reece James, Kieran Tripper, Matty Cash and maybe even Calum Chambers set to stake their claims for spots in the side, Alexander-Arnold's place on the right is far from safe.
However, if the Liverpool man can rediscover his best form in the business end of the season, he should be given the nod on that side, while Ben Chilwell will likely have to fend off the resurgent Luke Shaw and the ever-impressive Matt Targett if he wants to continue on the opposite side, although the Chelsea man has vast experience playing in a more advanced role compared to his rivals.
Jordan Henderson is set to anchor the midfield - so long as he manages to make a full recovery from his adductor problem in good time - and there should be no questions over Declan Rice's place in the team, with the 22-year-old leading West Ham United's charge for a Champions League spot.
The final third is where Southgate's real dilemma lies, as the England boss has an abundance of options to choose from when it comes to who will be providing support to Harry Kane, who is already up to sixth on the all-time top goalscorers list for the Three Lions.
Phil Foden, Mason Mount, Bukayo Saka and Mason Greenwood make up a selection of the brightest stars of tomorrow, while Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish can also feel optimistic about their chances, but two names stand out.
Jadon Sancho has taken a while to get going with Borussia Dortmund this season and is currently nursing a muscular problem, but the 20-year-old could earn Southgate's trust on the right, while Raheem Sterling is likely to complete the lineup in his favoured left-wing position. body check tags ::
