Gareth Southgate handed major boost as all 26 England players train ahead of last-16 Euro 2024 clash with Slovakia - with Kieran Trippier returning after two days away from the main squad

Gareth Southgate has been handed a welcome boost as all 26 of his England players took to the training pitch this morning.

Kieran Trippier had not trained fully for two days but has returned to the set-up, giving Southgate a full complement. 

England take on Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen in the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a chance to book a quarter-final against Italy or Switzerland. 

Southgate has full flexibility ahead of the tie to make whatever changes he sees as suitable. 

Kobbie Mainoo is expected to make his first competitive start for the Three Lions while Southgate will make a late call on Trippier.  

That would make Mainoo the third midfield partner to start alongside Declan Rice this tournament after Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Gallagher. 

Southgate has faced calls to make sweeping changes to the team, particularly his forward line, that has started the tournament here in Germany following three lacklustre displays in their Group C matches.

However, the England boss is preparing to keep faith with the majority of his preferred XI, which means the likes of Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer - for whom there has been a clamour to start - may have to settle for a place on the bench.

Ezri Konsa and Joe Gomez are on stand-by to start the game if Trippier is not available.

Luke Shaw has returned to full training although it appears unlikely Southgate would risk Manchester United left-back from the start given he hasn’t played for five months.

In a surprise turn of events, Bukayo Saka has had to publicly rule himself out of playing at left-back against Slovakia. 

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has suggested Saka could play at left-back, but Saka told the BBC: 'I love Ian Wright and he says so many great things about me but I don't think putting me out position is the solution. 

'But at the end of the day, I think we can we can talk about this but it's in Gareth's hands so we will just have to trust whoever Gareth selects on the day.'

In light of the Arsenal legend's comments, several clips of Saka impressing at full-back as a youngster in Arsenal's youth set-up have resurfaced on social media.

More to follow.