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TO BE FRANK
ENGLAND boss Gareth Southgate was praised ahead of his team's Euro 2020 final by Frank Lampard and Alan Shearer.
The Three Lions legends hailed the manager's decision to play a back five against Italy, bravely dropping star player Bukayo Saka.
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Atletico Madrid star Kieran Trippier started the final at right wing-back, with Manchester United defender Luke Shaw operating down the left.
Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker joined his club team-mate John Stones and Red Devils skipper Harry Maguire at centre-back.
Injured Phil Foden was not included in Southgate's 23-man squad, with Ben Chilwell and Ben White also missing out.
Former England skipper Shearer told BBC Sport: "Gareth has proved in the past that he's not afraid to make big decisions and to change the team around.
"He'll expect Trippier to get forward very much like Saka did because I think that's one area of the pitch where we can cause them problems in behind Emerson."
Shearer's fellow pundit and ex-Chelsea manager Frank Lampard was also complimentary about his former international team-mate.
He added: "Gareth Southgate won't want it to be like that [playing with a back five]. When you have the ball, can you make it a three?
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"The Italian team will want to play centrally. Can we stretch them with our width? I think it's a clever call from Gareth.
"We will have to see how it pays out but I understand his thinking."
Speaking ahead of the game, Maguire told BBC Sport: "It is an amazing feeling to get this chance, an opportunity to play in a major tournament final.
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"We are here to win, the final is there to be won and that is our mentality. We have prepared well, we are focused, we are ready.
"We have prepared exactly as we have for any other game. We remain focused and clear minded what our job is and our gameplan.
"Italy are experienced and have great players. They fully deserve to be in the final."
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