Former Chelsea player Chris Sutton has shared his views on whether Cole Palmer should start for England at Euro 2024.
Palmer took the Premier League by storm following his move from Manchester City last summer, scoring 22 league goals and providing 11 assists which saw him named as Premier League Young Player of the Year.
The 22-year-old hadn’t made an England squad before this season but was rewarded with his first call up last November and made his debut against Malta, and has subsequently been named in Gareth Southgate’s final 26 man squad for the Euros.
Sutton believes Palmer should start
Palmer started both of England’s warm up games last week, scoring his first goal against Bosnia-Herzegovina, and he also impressed in the disappointing defeat to Iceland.
England are blessed with an array of attacking talent and Palmer will be competing for a place in the side with the likes of Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka.
The question of whether Palmer should start for England wouldn’t have been a topic of conversation six months ago, but following his superb season Southgate has genuine decision to make.
Former Blue Sutton admitted he wasn’t sure how Palmer’s move to Stamford Bridge would work out, but has called for him to start for England at the Euros.
“Do you know what? this season Cole Palmer, going to Chelsea, I wasn’t sure how that move was going to pan out, I think he has been a revelation,” Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“And Gareth, in this particular squad, he has done something which he probably hasn’t done before and he has gone for players who are in form.
“You know, he is a stickler for royalty, I would shove Palmer into the team, I think he is a brilliant player, as a 10 he has played that position.”
it’s hard to argue with Sutton based on Palmer’s form but it seems most likely Jude Bellingham will play in the number ten role following his season with Real Madrid.
Southgate will therefore be faced with a decision of whether to go with Palmer or Saka down the right hand side given Foden will almost certainly play on the left.
England kick off their campaign against Serbia on Sunday before games against Denmark and Slovenia to round out the group stage.
