England v Slovenia: Kane and Co roll with the punches after stuttering start to Euro 2024

Just two games into Euro 2024 and the knives are already out for Gareth Southgate's England side despite them being top of Group C and having one foot firmly planted in the knockout stages.

Both matches so far – a 1-0 win over Serbia followed by the 1-1 draw with Denmark – have seen England take an early lead before fading badly with the team dropping too deep, offering little attacking threat and failing to press the opposition as a unit.

The warning signs were flashing before a ball had been kicked in the tournament, though, when England fell to a shock defeat against Iceland at Wembley Stadium in their final warm-up game – a performance Southgate admitted was “far from ideal” but would “really focus the mind” ahead of the finals.

But that focus has never materialised in Germany with criticism coming thick and fast with Southgate and captain Harry Kane in particular being put through the mincer by fans and the media.

The fact England have struggled so badly despite a front four containing Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Kane is seen by some as the inability of a defensively-minded manager to utilise top-level attacking talents.

Southgate has offered various reasons for England's struggles; from suggesting that the players are not fit enough to press the opposition effectively to the more dubious idea that they have not found a “natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips” in midfield.

The experiment of playing Trent Alexander-Arnold alongside Declan Rice has not paid off, while even record-goalscorer Kane was hauled off during the dismal second-half showing against the Danes in Frankfurt, despite putting England into an 18th-minute lead.

Kane, though, insists Southgate remains the right man for job, one that