Kaedin Robinson’s toe barely touched the goal line before the football squirted out, scoring the winning touchdown in overtime as Appalachian State beat previously unbeaten and 18th-ranked James Madison 26-23

England boss Gareth Southgate says he can “take far fewer gambles” with his Euro 2024 squad compared to the previous two tournaments. Next year’s competition will see a return to relative normality after the delayed, Covid-impacted Euro 2020 and an unprecedented winter World Cup in Qatar. Increased 26-man squads were introduced for both of those tournaments, but UEFA has confirmed the size of selections will return to 23 players in Germany. “It makes it a different sort of thought process because you’ve had that leeway in the last couple of tournaments to take players that weren’t going to be fit for the first couple of games,” England boss Southgate said. “Or a bit of cover in certain positions that you might or might not have needed. “This time the physical conditioning of players is going to be really important. The ability for players to bat out six, seven games. “We know having been to the end of two tournaments that physically the demands on that is far greater than we would have known had we not been through that experience, so we know that is a huge requirement. We can take far fewer gambles than we were able to take for the last two tournaments where it was 26 England boss Gareth Southgate “If you can only sort of take two for each position, players that are adaptable are helpful, players that can play more than one position are helpful. “But equally players that are physically vulnerable we will have got to think very carefully about.” The enlarged selection at Euro 2020 helped Southgate include Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire. The former had not played since the February due to groin surgery and the latter missed six weeks with an ankle injury, returning to action in England’s final group game and going onto be earn a place in the team of the tournament. As for Qatar, Southgate was able to include Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips despite a lack of fitness following groin and shoulder surgery respectively. Asked if players needed to be fit to be on the plane to Germany, he said: “I wouldn’t say all 23. “But we can take far fewer gambles than we were able to take for the last two tournaments where it was 26.” Long-serving number one Jordan Pickford is sure to be a key part of the squad next summer and is away with England at a time when his club side are in the headlines. It was announced in the hours before Friday’s 2-0 win against Malta that Everton had been deducted 10 points after being found to have breached Premier League financial rules. “I haven’t spoken to Jordan about it,” Southgate said ahead of Monday’s final Euro 2024 qualifier away to North Macedonia. “The rest at the minute is speculative, so we’ll just have to see as and when anything happens. “He has coped really well with a couple of really difficult seasons at Everton, where they’ve been in the lower reaches of the league. “So, if the ultimate decision is as has been said – I am guessing there will be some sort of appeal – then it’s a scenario he’s been through and actually been a really important player for.” Read More England full-back Kieran Trippier not taking his place at Euro 2024 as a given Wout Weghorst fires Netherlands to Euro 2024 as Ireland end with whimper Saracens overcome injuries to England stars in thrashing of Harlequins Erling Haaland’s injury is not serious – Norway boss Stale Solbakken Rob Page admits Wales’ best chance of making Euro 2024 likely to be in play-offs James McAtee scores twice as England Under-21s win comfortably in Serbia

Kieran Trippier may be a long-standing member of Gareth Southgate’s England squad but given the level of competition at full-back, he is not taking his place at Euro 2024 as a given. The Newcastle defender is now one of the senior men within Southgate’s ranks and has amassed 46 caps to date. His only senior goal was the opener in the 2018 World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia with his ability to play on either side of Southgate’s defence keeping him in and around the team ever since. Despite his consistency for club and country, Trippier is now arguably in the strongest pool of full-backs available to England. In recent times Kyle Walker, Reece James and Ben White have played at right-back – with the versatile pair of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Rico Lewis also in contention – while Luke Shaw, Ben Chilwell and Levi Colwill have operated on the left. “I need to keep performing well for my club first,” he said of Euro 2024 selection. “There are so many good full-backs in England at the moment, I need to focus on my own performances. Obviously I want to be there but I know I need to be playing at a high level to be successful. “I’ve always believed in myself. I’ve always had challenges in my career. I’ve always been up against top right-backs for many years now and it’s just about believing in yourself. “I think the demands on a full-back these days playing now is so much. You’ve got to get forward. You’ve got to go on the overlaps but ultimately, you’ve got to defend as well. “I think there’s a big responsibility on full-backs the way we play in the Premier League now. “I think you look at all the English full-backs, there’s incredible talent.” Southgate has largely put faith in youth since taking the reins as manager in 2016, with Trippier now one of the elder statesmen in the current squad alongside fellow 33-year-olds Walker and Jordan Henderson. He will be hoping to start again when England face North Macedonia in their final Euro 2024 qualifier on Monday night but, regardless of the changes made by Southgate, Trippier knows leadership does not necessarily come with age. We've got great characters and - the most important thing - a great togetherness in this squad Kieran Trippier “It only seems like yesterday when I was first walking into camp, when Gary Cahill was here and Joe Hart and all the experienced players,” he added. “Fast forward it to now, I’m one of the oldest so it just shows how quickly football goes. “Even though I’m one of the oldest, we’ve got a lot of leaders in this room, you’ve got a lot of players playing at a high level. “You don’t need to be 33 to voice your opinion or whatever it may be. “We’ve got great characters and – the most important thing – a great togetherness in this squad. “Everybody speaks whatever they need to speak and everybody listens. We’ve got a good, honest group here.” Read More Gareth Southgate admits he will ‘take far fewer gambles’ in his Euro 2024 squad Wout Weghorst fires Netherlands to Euro 2024 as Ireland end with whimper Saracens overcome injuries to England stars in thrashing of Harlequins Erling Haaland’s injury is not serious – Norway boss Stale Solbakken Rob Page admits Wales’ best chance of making Euro 2024 likely to be in play-offs James McAtee scores twice as England Under-21s win comfortably in Serbia

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