England v Switzerland LIVE: Team news as Southgate plots contentious line-up for Euro 2024 quarter-final

Let’s get a quick recap in of the best of last night, the first day of quarter-final action at Euro 2024.

First up, Spain knocked out the hosts Germany with a 2-1 win after extra time.

Here’s Miguel Delaney’s report of the night’s events:

The Prince of Wales will attend England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland on Saturday, Kensington Palace has confirmed.

The Prince, who is the president of the Football Association, will be present to cheer on Gareth Southgate’s team in Dusseldorf as they seek to secure a place in the semi-finals.

He has already attended one of England’s games at the tournament, the group-stage draw with Denmark in Frankfurt.

His appearance will come after Southgate expressed well-wishes to new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

In the final hours before England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final, there was one last decision playing on Gareth Southgate’s mind. The manager has been working on a back three for a lot of this week, but now has Luke Shaw ready and willing to play. While Southgate admitted they have to make “a decision regarding match sharpness and how quickly you can adjust back into that intensity of the cauldron of the tournament”, it might also bring a decision about formation.

Shaw at left-back would mean the manager’s initial 4-2-3-1, in the manner he actually wanted to play it, and the presence of an actual left-footer in the role could make a big difference.

But while the right-footed right-back Trippier has started on the other flank in all four games so far, Southgate, who omitted the injury-hit Ben Chilwell to pick a lone specialist left-back in the sidelined Shaw, paid a glowing tribute to the Newcastle defender and dismissed the alternatives.

John Stones believes England have already seen a “shift” and “unlocked” two key qualities for the latter stages of Euro 2024, in their ability to score crucial late goals and “seamlessly” switch between formations.

It hasn’t been clear in the week since, however; ongoing concerns about performance as well as Marc Guehi’s suspension have led England to work on a three-man backline.

Stones says that can fit with the resolve which the team have started to develop after beating Slovakia, however.

The first half was dominated by fouls and bookings more than free-flowing attacking football, with Kai Havertz scuffing the best chance of the half as Pedri was forced off due to injury and three players received yellow cards (with Toni Kroos somehow escaping one too).

But the second half was a far more exciting affair, not least after great work from Lamine Yamal set up Dani Olmo to sweep the ball past Manuel Neuer on 51 minutes. That goal injected life into the contest, with Germany growing into the game and both teams having chances.

There was a minute left to run on Gareth Southgate’s reign, the clock ticking down on a dismal tournament that seemed a demoralising end to the second-finest tenure of any England manager. Until an airborne Jude Bellingham intervened. Until Bellingham underlined that he has that combination of talent, technique and temperament to offer the promise of greatness. There had been reasons for Southgate to replace him: booked for a rash lunge at Lukas Haraslin, he had been unwise enough to lay his hands on the referee. He had endured a poor game.

But there was an instance of brilliance; a bicycle kick, an injury-time equaliser, a lifeline, a goal that may reshape England’s history as well as Southgate’s time in charge. “Who else?” Bellingham shouted. The evidence of the previous 94 minutes was that no one was likely to score for England. The closest they came to a first-half shot on target was when, after 10 seconds, Dennis Vavro belted the ball at Harry Kane’s head and it rebounded 30 yards to Martin Dubravka. For much of it, they were simultaneously going nowhere, going backwards and going out. But Bellingham’s European Championship has now included two glorious goals, albeit with too little in the 347 minutes that separated them.

Gareth Southgate is expected to switch to a 3-4-3 system for the quarter-final clash with Switzerland – but one unexpected change will see not Trent Alexander-Arnold coming in on the right for England, but Kieran Trippier instead switching across from left to right.

That leaves Bukayo Saka switching from right wing to left wing-back, meaning much the same XI as last time out, albeit with several switching roles.

Ezri Konsa is set to be the player replacing Marc Guehi, who is suspended, with the Aston Villa defender and Kyle Walker playing either side of John Stones in defence.

There’s no second summer fairytale for Germany, as it’s instead Spain who have the happy ending. For now. Mikel Merino ensured they rose above it all, with a brilliant header in the 119th minute. The big question as to whether they go and actually win Euro 2024 is what the cost of this 2-1 victory over the hosts will be. Toni Kroos didn’t get his grand farewell, either, as he instead contributed to a match that often turned ugly.

That meant that it didn’t quite become the game of the tournament in the manner anticipated but it was thoroughly absorbing, right until the death. And that was very, very late. It is easy to see why games like this can prevent teams from becoming champions, because of the gruelling physical and psychological cost. Spain now have Alvaro Morata and the red-carded Dani Carvajal suspended for the semi-final, with Pedri looking like he might be out injured – maybe for the summer. He was the victim of an abrasive challenge from Kroos in the opening minute, that very much set a tone.

Through that, Spain displayed another quality in a European Championships when they have already shown so many. They were the picture of perseverance. That wasn’t just because of what a gallant German team put them through but what they put themselves through.