Chris Sutton calls England's Euro 2024 group 'pretty soft' after avoiding Netherlands and Italy and claims Denmark 'aren't as strong as they were'... while Alan Shearer says Gareth Southgate will be 'extremely happy'

Chris Sutton believes England have been handed a 'pretty soft group' for the European Championships next summer after the draw was held on Saturday evening. 

Gareth Southgate's beaten finalists from Euro 2020 - held in 2021 - were given a favourable draw for next summer's tournament - namely Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia.

Pundits including Sutton and Alan Shearer believe that it is an excellent opportunity for the Three Lions to get into the knockout phase, and give them a perfect start on their route to a deep run in the competition, as they avoided a potential early meeting with Italy or Holland.  

Sutton told BBC Two: 'I don't think Denmark are as strong as they once were, everybody fancied them at the World Cup and they had a poor World Cup. They huffed and puffed through their qualifying campaign and didn't have it easy.

'There are some names we're familiar with, Rasmus Hojlund at Manchester United, Kasper Schmeichel. They'll be well organised but you suspect England will have too much for them.

'Serbia is an interesting one; Dusan Vlahovic, Luka Jovic and Dusan Tadic, players who we are familiar with, that won't be easy but you'd say it's a pretty soft group for England.'

Meanwhile, Alan Shearer said: 'I don't think England can complain with that group, I think it's pretty favourable when you look at some of the teams that have been drawn out against each other so I think Gareth will be extremely happy.'

England will hope to go one step further than their penalty shootout defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.  

Southgate's side will kick off their Euros campaign in the western German city of Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, June 16 against Serbia, who finished second in their qualifying group behind Hungary.

Four days later, they will face Denmark in Frankfurt, before facing Slovenia in Cologne in their final group stage game on June 25. 

Denmark and Slovenia qualified from the same group, ending the game in Ljubljana level in June, and the Danes winning 2-1 in Copenhagen last month.

Reigning champions Italy have a tough group alongside World Cup semi-finalists Croatia, and perennial challengers Spain.