HAVING claimed a friendly win over Wales and a Nations League victory over Belgium, England round off their current run of internationals when they host Denmark at Wembley tomorrow night.

What are the key issues affecting Gareth Southgate’s side as they attempt to make it three wins out of three?


IS FIVE AT THE BACK THE BEST WAY TO GO?

Having initially abandoned the five-man defensive formation that carried England to the World Cup semi-finals in Russia, Southgate has changed tack again this year, reversing his decision to play with a flat back four by once again fielding three centre-halves.

Given England’s long-standing defensive issues, not to mention their lack of a natural top-class holding midfielder, it makes sense to play with three central defenders. With the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier and Ben Chilwell available, it can also be argued that England’s wide defenders are more effective as wing-backs than full-backs in a four.

However, the ploy only works if you have three defenders who are good enough to play at centre-half. If you’re having to play Eric Dier, Kyle Walker and an out-of-form Harry Maguire, perhaps it would be better to go with a flat back four and a bulked-out midfield?


WHY PLAY TWO HOLDING MIDFIELDERS AT HOME?

Having decided to play with five defenders in Sunday’s game with Belgium, Southgate then attempted to make his side even more secure by playing both Declan Rice and Jordan Henderson at the base of midfield.

Presumably, Southgate wanted to guard against the prospect of Kevin de Bruyne running riot, and with the Manchester City midfielder failing to make a telling contribution, the England boss can claim that his team selection worked.

However, by playing with two defensive midfielders in front of a back five, England’s attacking options were severely limited, a failing that proved a decisive factor in the World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia.

There will be occasions when Southgate has to shut up shop, making a double-defensive pivot an attractive option. But is a Nations League home game really such a scenario? Tomorrow, against a Denmark side that were rigidly unadventurous when England drew in Copenhagen last month, would it not be better to drop a defensive midfielder and look to get on the front foot?


WHAT DOES JACK GREALISH HAVE TO DO TO GET A COMPETITIVE GAME?

Jack Grealish is the most exciting player in English football at the moment, and the Aston Villa midfielder was the stand-out performer in last week’s friendly win over Wales, setting up Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s opener with a wonderful cross. So why does Southgate seem so reluctant to play him in a competitive fixture?

Southgate has harboured reservations about Grealish throughout his development, claiming his playing style makes it difficult to accommodate him in the England team. “I know, at times, Villa play Jack as a midfield player, that’s not where I see him in the way that we play,” said the England boss in August. “With us, he would be a wide player or a number ten and I think we’ve got players at the moment that deserve to be in just ahead of him.”

Clearly, Grealish has forced Southgate’s hand somewhat since then, but his omission from the team that started against Belgium suggests the England boss still remains reluctant to put too much faith in the 25-year-old.

Surely, that has to change? Grealish offers a level of creativity that England have been lacking for the vast majority of Southgate’s reign, and he has earned an opportunity to prove it in a meaningful fixture. Tomorrow’s game with Denmark would seem an ideal chance to see what he can do.


THERE IS NO LIKE-FOR-LIKE REPLACEMENT FOR RAHEEM STERLING

It has long been feared that England would be in serious trouble if Harry Kane was to be unavailable for an important fixture. The skipper remains his side’s number one striker, but in the last two matches, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has proved he is capable of deputising if required.

Attention now switches to Raheem Sterling, and it is much harder to see how England can cover for the Manchester City forward if he is absent. Sterling is currently unavailable with a hamstring injury, and in his absence, Southgate’s side lacked pace and incision in the final third against Belgium.

None of England’s other attacking options can match Sterling’s ability to run at defenders in the final third. Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford can fill the wide attacking positions, but neither is a like-for-like replacement for Sterling and neither can claim to have reached the kind of world-class level that Sterling now inhabits.

With the start of next summer’s rescheduled European Championships now just eight months ago, Sterling is the player England can least afford to lose