Alan Shearer is confident England will make a flying start to their Euro 2024 campaign with a crushing win over Serbia.
Despite their questionable form over the course of the last few months, which culminated in defeat against Iceland at Wembley 10 days ago, the Three Lions have arrived in Germany as one of the tournament favourites.
Gareth Southgate has an almost totally fit squad from which to select his starting XI, with the only question mark hanging over the availability of left-back Luke Shaw.
Bukayo Saka is expected to regain his starting position on the right wing, while Trent Alexander-Arnold appears likely to partner Declan Rice in England’s midfield engine room.
Former England captain Shearer acknowledges Seriba possess a genuine goalscoring threat in the shape of strikers Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic, but has no doubt that Southgate’s side possesses more than enough attacking quality of its own to get the job done in emphatic style.
He told Betfair: ‘I think England should win the game. Serbia have Mitrovic and Vlahovic up front, if they decide to go with those two.
‘I think Mitrovic will definitely play, they will look to rain crosses in because that’s what he wants and demands, and he gets all the goals for them.
How will England line-up against Serbia?
‘England should have far too much for them in forward positions so I would say England to win by two or three. Opening games are never easy, a lot of the time they’re always cagey affairs, but I would think England can score two or three and win.’
Shearer added: ‘I think they’re ready, I know we have got issues defensively but no team is perfect and whichever country wins it, you are going to need a bit of luck.
‘If we, England can have a bit of luck then we’ve got a great chance of winning it, with our front six, whatever six he chooses to play we’re as good as any in the tournament, I really believe that, you are going to have to score many goals to win the tournament and I think we’ve got the players to do that.
‘I think our time is now, this group of players are ready to go and get us a long-awaited trophy.
‘I think when you look at where England were when Gareth Southgate took over, they were nearly at rock bottom, if you remember that performance against Iceland (at Euro 2016), it was so bad.
‘Then for him to take us the way he has done, a World Cup semi-final, a final of a Euros Championship where we were beaten on pens, everyone looks at him and thinks this is England’s time.’
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