Shaw's imminent return at left back could provide a missing piece for England

BLANKENHAIN, Germany : Gareth Southgate's gamble of naming long-injured Luke Shaw to his squad for Euro 2024 could soon pay off with the left back expected to make an imminent return in what would be his first game in more than four months.

England face Slovakia in the Round of 16 on Sunday in Gelsenkirchen and while the 29-year-old is not expected to start, he could provide a boost off the bench to a squad that has been without a left-footer in his position.

"It's a calculated risk," Southgate told reporters when his squad was announced earlier this month. "I think you can take one gamble and that's a gamble, we've got enough evidence to believe it can pay off."

Defence has been the most positive part of England's performance in Germany, with them conceding one goal in the group stage.

While boasting some of the world's best attackers, England mustered only two goals in three games and were 20th in goal attempts.

Newcastle's Kieran Trippier is right-footed and so tends to turn inside, while Shaw is an attacking defender who loves to make overlapping runs down the left flank much like the team's right back Kyle Walker.

England's two goals by Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane were assisted by Bukayo Saka and Walker on the right.

Shaw was solid in England's 2020 European Championship run, scoring an early goal in the team's loss to Italy in a penalty shootout in the final. At the 2022 World Cup, he was one of six England players to spend the majority of games in the opposition's end.

There is also speculation around Trippier's fitness for Sunday after he sat out a training session earlier this week. A calf injury saw the Newcastle defender miss eight Premier League games near the end of the season. Southgate is expected to start