Gareth Southgate is ready to throw his support behind Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden and give them another chance to silence their doubters.
England face Denmark in Frankfurt on Thursday night as Group C leaders after beating Serbia in their opening match.
Alexander-Arnold and Foden started against Serbia and Southgate, the England manager, is expected to name the same team against Denmark after left-back Luke Shaw missed team training on Wednesday.
Southgate’s strategy in the last two major tournaments has been to make as few changes as possible between the first and second games, before shuffling his pack more in the third group game if progress to the knockout stage is assured.
Questions have been raised over whether or not Alexander-Arnold and Foden should start for England, but Southgate wants another look at the pair.
Alexander-Arnold is being used as a central midfield partner to Declan Rice, while Foden has played in an advanced role off the left with Jude Bellingham in the No 10 position.
Pundits Ian Wright and Cesc Fabregas have called for Foden to show more, which means the Manchester City star will be under pressure to shine against Denmark.
Wayne Rooney has led the questions over whether or not Alexander-Arnold, who is naturally a right-back, is suited to playing in midfield for England.
Conor Gallagher replaced Alexander-Arnold as a substitute against Serbia and appears to be next in line to partner Rice, but the Liverpool man is expecting to start again in Frankfurt as part of an unchanged line-up.
Foden played the full game against Serbia and, despite the criticism of his performance from outside the camp, Southgate praised the midfielder’s defensive display in the second half.
It will also not have escaped Southgate’s notice that Foden covered a greater distance than any other England player against Serbia, clocking up 13.2 kilometres.
Shaw’s continued absence should mean another start for Kieran Trippier as a makeshift left-back in what should be his 50th appearance for England