Jamie Carragher believes the inclusion of Jordan Henderson in the England midfield provides better balance and that the Liverpool man should keep his place in the knockout stages.
Gareth Southgate's Three Lions kicked off their final group stage game against Wales this evening knowing that a win would guarantee top-spot and a round-of-16 tie against Senegal on Sunday. Henderson was picked from the start for the first time at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium after a short spell off the bench during Friday's 0-0 draw with the USA.
That stalemate, and the opening 6-2 win against Iran, saw Southgate deploy an attacking midfield unit, with Mason Mount joining Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham as they set up in an attacking 4-3-3 formation. The decision worked to great effect in the opening game, but Friday's draw saw Rice overrun by a dynamic and energetic American midfield.
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And speaking before this evening's clash, former Liverpool captain Carragher detailed how the use of Henderson - or Phillips during the run to the Euro 2020 finals last year - provided England's midfield with more balance, particularly in the latter stages against elite nations.
"I actually think the balance of having Declan Rice and another similar type of midfielder there, it was Kalvin Phillips in the last tournament, and that partnership worked really well," Carragher told Sky Sports. "If we're going to play 4-3-3, you want at least one of your midfield players to be offensive, Bellingham is that. They also had Mason Mount in there.
"Gareth has been accused of being pragmatic and defensive, but the first two games of a major tournament he has put Mason Mount and Jude Bellingham as attacking midfield players with Declan Rice in behind, so that's not defensive. But as the tournament goes on and we saw in times in that game against the US, Declan Rice got overrun and it felt like he was outnumbered. At times he needs a bit of help.
"I thought the change of Jordan Henderson changed the game for England, so I'm not surprised he's coming in and playing there. It may be a tussle between Bellingham and Mount going forward in this tournament. We'll see how fit Kalvin Phillips gets.
"I don't think Gareth Southgate will go with the midfield that he's gone with in the first two games when they get to the knock-out stages against a top nation."
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