The winning goal scorer is sat at home
There are just two players in Gareth Southgate’s side who faced Slovakia when they last met in 2017 and another could be providing analysis as a pundit on ITV.
England will take on Slovakia at 5pm in the last-16 game after winning Group C following an unconvincing 1-0 win over Serbia and drawing with Denmark and Slovenia.
It will mark the first time in seven years that the two sides have met and if tonight’s game plays out like it did last time, England will have their work cut out.
England were at home in a World Cup qualifier, but the Wembley crowd was stunned into silence when Stanislav Lobotka put Slovakia in front after just three minutes.
It was only Southgate’s tenth game in charge of the Three Lions and his backline consisted of Ryan Bertrand, Gary Cahill, Phil Jones and Kyle Walker.
The now 34-year-old is one of two players from that team who is tipped to start tonight’s game against Francesco Calzona’s men.
His holding midfielders that night were Jordan Henderson and Eric Dier and it was the latter who drew England level in the 37th minute.
In the second half, the comeback was complete after Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford netted the winner.
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The 26-year-old was dropped by Southgate for Euro 2024 after a difficult season at United which saw the academy graduate net just eight times in 42 appearances.
He started that game on the left with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right and Dele Alli in the middle. Harry Kane is the second star of that squad who is tipped to start tonight.
It was pundit, Joe Hart who was in goal that night. He went on to earn just two more caps for his country, taking him to 75 in total.
Tonight, the ex-Manchester City and Celtic shot-stopper will no doubt be putting his views across as he is out in Germany working as a pundit for BBC.
England have faced Slovakia six times and are yet to be beaten by the side from Central Europe, having won five of those meetings and drawn once.
They were held to a goalless draw in the in their final group game of Euro 2016.
