Following a 1-1 draw with Denmark during the group stages, when England’s performance was criticised, manager Southgate said that the team were struggling in midfield because they had not found a “natural replacement for Kalvin Phillips”.
The 28-year-old featured in Southgate’s squad during the last two major tournaments, but missed out on Euro 2024 following a poor season in which he was loaned from Manchester City to West Ham and struggled to pick up many minutes.
Southgate has rotated his midfield throughout the tournament, but started with Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo and Jude Bellingham against the Netherlands.