Pundit Michael Owen believes that England manager Gareth Southgate should start Chelsea’s Cole Palmer over Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka at this summer’s Euros.
The European Championship is just around the corner and soon enough, Southgate will be picking his England squad to take to Germany. With just weeks left of club football, the Three Lions coach will be looking to see who can fight their way into his plans, whether that be for the squad or the starting 11.
One player making a strong case to be in England’s starting team for their first game against Serbia on June 16 is Cole Palmer as the Chelsea star has been very impressive over the final weeks of the season and that has been part of an overall successful campaign for the 22-year-old.
The Englishman joined the Blues from Man City last summer as part of a £42.5m deal and has been Mauricio Pochettino’s best player this season.
Palmer has produced 24 goals and 13 assists across 42 matches for the London club and it is scary to think where Chelsea would be without the former City star.
Pundit Michael Owen believes the 22-year-old cannot be ignored any longer and must start for England at Euro 2024 ahead of Bukayo Saka. The Arsenal star is also having an impressive campaign and it could get even better over the coming weeks as the Gunners chase the Premier League title.
Michael Owen wants to see Chelsea’s Cole Palmer start for England
Speaking about England ahead of the Euros this summer, Owen has stated that Palmer should be one of the first names on Southgate’s team sheet and that the Chelsea star deserves to start over Arsenal’s Saka.
“I would now start Cole Palmer over Bukayo Saka,” the former England striker said via The Metro. “I don’t think you can ignore Palmer’s form and quality any longer.
“I had him in my squad a few months ago but now he’s one of the best players in the Premier League. He might even get Player of the Year, possibly the Golden Boot, and that’s in a struggling team.
“So he’s now a must in my mind. I would play him on the right. I’d have Foden and him, one on the right and one central, then have Rice as a lone number 6, then Bellingham and Foden as 8s stroke 10s and Cole on the right.”
