England have spent a significant amount of their Wednesday training session trying out a new formation with three at the back.

Marc Guehi is suspended for the clash after picking up too many yellow cards in the tournament’s earlier rounds.

It might allow Gareth Southgate to play both Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden as England have struggled to find a partner to Declan Rice, first trying out Trent Alexander-Arnold and then Kobbie Mainoo.

The playmaker admitted he has been frustrated they haven’t clicked but said that isn’t due to manager Gareth Southgate‘s tactics – rather the players must take responsibility. Foden claims they have felt inhibited due to the nature of matches and defensive opposition approaches but believes the squad need to be more proactive.

While the 24-year-old admitted that he wants to play centrally for England, he denied there is any issue in his own connection with Jude Bellingham, and believes that the performance level is growing.

Over the last few days, the England players have felt a “shift” in training. There’s even been a lightness to some of the heavier work. Many of the squad felt the benefit of proper time with the family on Tuesday. Part of that is down to the breathing space that comes from a bit of a break, but most of it is from the release of Jude Bellingham’s goal against Slovakia.

The line all week has been that this is a “turning point”, even coming up repeatedly in team meetings. Gareth Southgate himself set that idea in the euphoria after the Slovakia game, openly talking about how it could be similar to Paul Gascoigne’s goal against Scotland at Euro ‘96. One of his “leadership group”, John Stones, was only too willing to take up the thread.

“I think it is a turning point emotionally, to do it in such a high-pressure moment in the last few minutes,” the centre-half said. “I believe it is going to change a lot of things for the team, going through these emotions.”

The reigning champions Italy are out, while classy Austria have perhaps been one of the most surprisingly impressive sides, although a more familiar name, Spain, are the outstanding team of the tournament so far.

Phil Foden said earlier this week he “felt sorry” for Southgate given the criticism aimed at the England manager for the often dour displays throughout the tournament. “I feel like the players have got to take some of the blame. There has to be some leaders to get together and find out a solution to why it is not working. There is only so much the manager can do,” he said. Now Foden, along with Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane - the late goalscorers against Slovakia - will want to take more responsibility on their shoulders if England are to run even deeper into the finals.

Spain XI: Unai Simon, Cucurella, laporte, Le Normand, Carvajal, Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, Pedri, Williams, Morata, Yamal

Germany XI: Neuer, Raum, Schlotterbeck, Rudiger, Kimmich, Kroos, Andrich, Musiala, Gundogan, Sane, Havertz

Turkey defender Merih Demiral has been banned for two games by Uefa following a gesture he made during his side’s last-16 win against Austria on Tuesday and will miss Saturday’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Netherlands.

Made of Granit

Switzerland have earned plenty of plaudits at Euro 2024, finishing second to Germany in Group A having been seconds away from beating the hosts to advance in top spot. They then outplayed reigning Euros champions Italy to win their last-16 encounter 2-0 in Berlin, and while manager Murat Yakin can call on a number of in-form players, captain Granit Xhaka remains his talisman. The former Arsenal midfielder has lost just two games for club and country since leaving the Emirates Stadium last summer, helping Bayer Leverkusen win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal unbeaten, and will be keen to continue a fine run at England’s expense.

100 not out for Southgate

Southgate will become just the third incumbent to reach a century of games as manager of the men’s England team when he follows his side out in Dusseldorf. Only Walter Winterbottom and Alf Ramsey have taken charge of more matches than Southgate, who has won 60 of his 99 games at the helm so far. The 53-year-old has been under intense scrutiny at Euro 2024 but has led England to a World Cup semi-final and the Euro 2020 final as he aims to become the first man since Ramsey to secure major silverware.

Uefa have charged Jude Bellingham with “violating the basic rules of decent conduct”.

Bellingham was facing a ban after Uefa opened an investigation into a gesture he made while celebrating his spectacular overhead kick against Slovakia in the last-16 tie last Sunday.

In the aftermath of his goal, Bellingham was seen shouting “Who else?!” as he ran over to England fans after scoring. Video showed the Real Madrid forward then kiss his hand and grab his crotch in a gesture which appeared to be directed towards the side of the pitch.

Uefa have fined Bellingham €30,000 and suspended him for “a total of one Uefa competition match for which he would be otherwise available for violating the basic rules of decent conduct. Said suspension is not immediately enforced and is subject to a probationary period of one year starting from the date of the present decision.”

One mainstay of the defence regardless of formations will be John Stones, who has been partnered by Marc Guehi in all four of England’s games thus far. That will definitely change on Saturday, however, as Guehi - one of Southgate’s most consistent performers in Germany - is banned after picking up two cautions. Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa seems to be in pole position to replace Guehi in the starting XI having come on as a late substitute to help see out the extra-time win over Slovakia in the round of 16.