Defender hopes shift in Gareth Southgate’s side can fire them past Switzerland on Saturday into the semi-finals

Some teams never know when they are beaten. Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid are kings of the comeback, Liverpool had Jürgen Klopp’s mentality monsters and Manchester United had all those last-minute winners under Sir Alex Ferguson.

As for John Stones, his mind always goes straight back to the day Manchester City almost threw the title away on the final day of the 2021-22 season. Two-nil down to Aston Villa with 14 minutes left, Pep Guardiola’s team were in danger of handing the trophy to Liverpool before goals from Rodri and Ilkay Gündogan inspired an incredible turnaround.

• System tried in training with Konsa as Guéhi replacement
• Stones says he is fit despite knee strapping in training

John Stones is confident England are capable of a seamless switch to a back three if Gareth Southgate presses ahead with plans to change formation in Saturday’s quarter-final against Switzerland.

Marc Guéhi’s one-game ban has forced England into at least one defensive change and it is understood they have used training sessions this week to trial a return to the system that carried them to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.

Centre-forward came on late in last 16 and knows he will have to bide his time again in quarter-final

Few top sides play with two up front these days. Some prefer to use a false 9. At Euro 2024, there have been suggestions that no task in football is more thankless than having to be Harry Kane’s back-up. England’s captain always starts.

Gareth Southgate has not drawn on the memory of Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham’s partnership at Euro 96. His preference is to have Kane leading the line on his own, with Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka supporting him from attacking midfield.

• Neil Bath and Jim Fraser set to leave posts
• Bath had been at Stamford Bridge since 2004

Joe Shields is in contention for a senior role in Chelsea’s revamped academy setup, with the club planning a restructure after being informed that Neil Bath and Jim Fraser are set to leave their positions.

Bath, who is widely credited with creating one of the most successful youth systems in the country, became Chelsea’s academy director in 2004 and earned a promotion in November 2022 after being made director of football development and operations. He has worked closely with Fraser, who stepped into the role of head of youth development and recruitment last year.

• ‘I feel sorry for Gareth. We have to be leaders’
• Back three trialled in training before quarter-final

Phil Foden has defended Gareth Southgate’s tactics and insisted ­England’s players should shoulder more of the blame for the team’s underwhelming performances at Euro 2024.

Now the euphoria of beating ­Slovakia in dramatic circumstances on Sunday has faded, England’s focus is on making sure there is a drastic improvement in their quarter-final against Switzerland on Saturday. Southgate has been ramping up his preparations and it remains to be seen if he will adjust his tactics against Murat Yakin’s dangerous side.

• Portugal international nearly joined club last year
• Bundesliga side set to pay an initial €51m

Bayern Munich have agreed to sign the Fulham midfielder João Palhinha in a deal worth up to €56m (£47.4m). Palhinha almost moved to the Allianz Arena last year, only for the deal to break down on the final day of the transfer window.

Bayern’s interest has not gone away and they are set to pay an initial €51m plus €5m in add-ons for the Portugal international, who has been waiting for approval to move to the Bundesliga club. The sale will be a club record for Fulham, who will need to use the funds to bolster their midfield.

• London club could return with improved offer
• Wolves’ Max Kilman also on Hammers’ radar

West Ham have had a £25m bid for the Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo turned down.

Julen Lopetegui, West Ham’s new manager, is looking to sign a new centre-back and has targeted the Frenchman after failing to agree a fee with Wolves for Max Kilman.

Gareth Southgate’s team need to improve against Switzerland – and there is plenty of scope for doing so

It is easy to play through England at the moment. Gareth Southgate has talked about a high press being a core part of his team’s identity, but it has not functioned properly at Euro 2024. Harry Kane, who is meant to be leading from the front, has looked lethargic and the issue has been exacerbated by Jude Bellingham’s wandering. Yet there is no obligation on England to continue their attempts to press given they have been so confused and uncoordinated. Southgate has to recognise that there are too many gaps to cover once opponents break through the first line of defence. An obvious solution would be to tell his players to drop off and exert a smothering mid‑block. England need to be more awkward to break down. There should be more emphasis on drawing teams out, luring them into traps and then hitting them on the break.