England's Euro 2024 preparations have been thrown into further disarray after John Stones, the team's only tournament-experienced centre-half, missed training due to illness. The Manchester City defender is now a doubt for Sunday's opening match against Serbia, compounding concerns over a defence already weakened by injuries and inexperience.
Stones limped out of the final warm-up game against Iceland on Friday, and his absence leaves manager Gareth Southgate with four centre-halves—Lewis Dunk, Marc Guehi, Joe Gomez, and Ezri Konsa—none of whom have been tested at a major tournament. First-choice Harry Maguire failed to make the squad, while left-back Luke Shaw is not fit enough to start.
The defensive crisis follows two underwhelming warm-up matches at Wembley, including a loss to Iceland. Speculation over Southgate's future, with Manchester United reportedly targeting him, has further unsettled the camp. German newspaper Bild has described the tournament as 'win or bust' for the England manager.
Lewis Dunk, the 32-year-old Brighton defender, remains confident despite the setbacks. 'That's your opinion,' he said when asked about England's defensive issues. 'Inside the dressing room, we're confident as ever.' Dunk, who has over 450 career appearances, is likely to partner Guehi if Stones fails to recover, despite a costly error against Belgium in March.
The absence of Shaw forces Southgate to continue with right-footed alternatives at left-back, a compromise that proved problematic in both warm-up games. Kieran Trippier's deployment on the left against Iceland, with Anthony Gordon ahead of him, created an offensive dead zone. The return of Bukayo Saka could offer a solution, possibly even at left-back, a position he played earlier in his career.
Despite the defensive woes, England's attacking depth offers hope. 'Gareth has top, top players,' Dunk said, reflecting the belief that the squad's talent can overcome any problems. England face Serbia on Sunday in their Euro 2024 opener.
