Chelsea’s Mason Mount to get first England start vs Czech Republic after impressing Gareth Southgate
MASON MOUNT is ready to be handed a full England debut against the Czech Republic.
Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has been impressed by the Chelsea ace, 20, at St George’s Park this week.
And that could be bad news for Mount’s Stamford Bridge team-mate Ross Barkley, who looks likely to be relegated to the bench in Prague tomorrow.
Mount featured as a sub in the Euro 2020 qualifiers at home to Bulgaria and Kosovo last month.
Barkley played in those games but has only started two matches for Chelsea since then — and has been overtaken by hotshot Mount.
Southgate now sees Mount as a regular starter for the Three Lions, along with fellow youngsters Declan Rice and Jadon Sancho.
And Borussia Dortmund winger Sancho is likely to be preferred in the front three to Marcus Rashford, who is out of form at Manchester United as well as struggling with a groin problem.
Southgate is set to go with a 4-3-3 formation for the clash in Prague — plus Monday’s Group A match against Bulgaria in Sofia.
CHELSEA NEWS
England expect 3,500 fans in Prague and they have been warned by the local police to arrive at the Sinobo Stadium early.
Tomorrow will be a national day of mourning due to the state funeral of singer Karel Gott in the city.
Three Lions stars yesterday celebrated Black History Month by wearing special training tops after Raheem Sterling, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Danny Rose faced racial abuse in March.