‘Bang in trouble’ – Rio Ferdinand issues radical Bukayo Saka demand for England

Rio Ferdinand has told England manager Gareth Southgate he must utilise Arsenal star Bukayo Saka in a new way if the Three Lions continue to suffer injury problems.

Southgate’s men won their opening game of Euro 2024 over the weekend thanks to a first-half header from Jude Bellingham. However, England struggled through the second-half against a tough Serbia side that kept them on their toes.

While Southgate had an injury-free squad to choose from, he opted to keep left-back Luke Shaw (who is lacking match fitness) on the bench for the entire game in favour of natural right-back Kieran Trippier, who appeared to go down with an issue in the closing stages of the contest.

With the Three Lions already at short supply of left-back options, fans are concerned. While Southgate assured supporters that Trippier was simply suffering from cramp, there’s still a worry that while Shaw is recovering, England may need a back-up plan for the Euros.

Now ex-England and Manchester United star Ferdinand has told Southgate that he believes Saka should be given the nod at left-back should Trippier and Shaw both be unable to feature on Thursday when they face off against Denmark. Ferdinand told the FIVE YouTube channel: “Yeah, if Shaw’s not fit then 100 per cent, we’re bang in trouble.

“We would have to put Saka at left-back. I’d play Saka at left-back then I would. If you ain’t got Shaw and you ain’t got Trippier then I would play Saka at left-back. I’d play it where as soon as we get possession you’re [Saka] a left winger.

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“Did you see how many times he stood up the full-back and destroyed him, like skinned him? I thought Saka was really good. First 45, the wing-play he showed… you know what I liked about it? He mixed it up. He didn’t always come inside. He went on the outside a couple of times.

“The defender didn’t know which way he was going to go but second half, when they put pressure on us, that was the problem. We didn’t respond well to that.”

In the past, Saka has spoken about playing at left-back having been forced to provide cover for Arsenal in the 2020/21 campaign after injuries to both Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac under Mikel Arteta in his first full season as Gunners boss.

“It’s not my natural position but he’s given me all the advice I need,” Saka said at the time. “I learned a lot about how wingers in the Premier League play against defenders and how to position myself because in his system it’s different. I get to play much higher because the winger comes inside and I get to go.

“There’s a lot of space for me and it’s good for me. I’m playing sort of as a winger when we have the ball but without the ball, I have to come back and work on my clearances, my heading and stuff I haven’t worked on my whole life. I feel like I’m doing ok right now.”