WHERE would England be without Jude Bellingham? They’d be on their way home from Euro 2024, for starters. Gareth Southgate would be in the middle of a media storm blaming him for The Three Lions’ biggest embarrassment at a major tournament since losing to Iceland at Euro 2026. Without Bellingham and his 95th minute equaliser against Slovakia, this would have been England’s reality.

As it is, England are preparing for a quarter-final meeting with Switzerland on Saturday having got away with one in the round of 16. Southgate’s body language in his post-match interview hinted at the relief felt by the 53-year-old whose entire tenure as Three Lions boss would have defined by the defeat in Gelsenkirchen.

This has to be Southgate’s final warning. He simply can’t stay the course for any longer. He can’t continue to pick the same team and hope for the best. Changes are needed if England are to go any further at Euro 2024. Southgate can’t allow his stubbornness to get in the way of the shot at glory his team now has.

Bellingham and Harry Kane might have grabbed the goals to turn around Sunday’s match, but it was the likes of Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze and Ivan Toney that changed the dynamic of the contest off the bench. They now deserve to play a more significant role for England at this tournament. Without them, England would have gone out with a whimper.

Palmer in particular has been lively in the limited game time he has been afforded. Indeed, the 22-year-old has made things happen in games against Slovenia and Slovakia, showing a willingness to take on opposition defenders in a way none of England’s starters have been able to. He is surely in line for a start on the right wing against Switzerland.

Eze is another attacker who has given England a different dimension off the bench with his dribbling skill key to opening up pockets of space and creating overloads. His close control and turn of pace make him a nightmare to play against, and yet Southgate threw him on for only the final six minutes of normal time against Slovakia.

Toney was introduced off the bench even later, substituted on in the third minute of stoppage time. He still managed to make an impact, assisting Kane for England’s winner in extra time, but Southgate nearly cost his team with his reluctant to change things. He must show greater faith in his squad.

“When people want changes, you have to keep some balance to the team and do things you think will definitely improve,” said Southgate after the comeback win over Slovakia, addressing criticism of his in-game management. “I think pretty much all the changes we have made this tournament have had an impact.”

No matter how the next two weeks pan out, this is widely expected to be Southgate’s final tournament as England manager. As a result, the outcome of Euro 2024 will determine how his Three Lions tenure is remembered. Many of England’s young squad will get other opportunities to win a trophy. Southgate probably won’t.

There has never been more at stake for Southgate, but he mustn’t allow the pressure to freeze him. England need a manager willing to be as bold as the talent within the squad allows them to be. Southgate got lucky against Slovakia as many of his flaws came to the fore. There is, however, still time for mistakes to be learned from. Southgate boasts one of the strongest, deepest squads at Euro 2024. He must use it.

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