ARSENAL defender William Saliba is set to start for France tonight, after a late U-turn by Didier Deschamps.
Deschamps has been reluctant to play Saliba, despite his brilliant form for Arsenal, but L'Equipe reported this morning that he will partner Dayot Upamecano in defence.
Saliba has made a late charge to gatecrash the team for France's Euros opener after excelling in the final warm-up game, against Canada, this month.
Saliba was a rare bright spark during the 0-0 draw, misplacing just four of his 76 passes and winning all five of his aerial duels.
It is nonetheless still a surprise that Deschamps is set to give him the nod tonight as, since handing Saliba his debut in March 2022, he has repeatedly overlooked him. Indeed, France have had 27 matches since then and Saliba has started just seven of them.
That run included a difficult World Cup in Qatar for the defender, where he played just 27 minutes off the bench.
This story is from the June 17, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 17, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Machac opener for Murray if he's able to play at Wimbledon
ANDY MURRAY was this morning drawn to face Tomas Machac in the first round of the Wimbledon men's singles.
England need 'dead' Bellingham to recover and deliver on the big stage
THREE matches into this European Championship, you could probably make a good 45-minute compilation of Jude Bellingham's highlights. Trouble is, they would all be from the same 45 minutes.
England's knockout blow may signal the end of an era
India too good and defeat leaves futures of Buttler and Mott in the air
OnlyFans, the novel, is a mixed attempt to titillate the Gen Z market
THE publisher blurb accompanying Rufi Thorpe's latest novel (see also The Girls from Corona Del Mar, The Knockout Queen) shouts breathlessly that it is a story about OnlyFans, young single motherhood and pro-wrestling.
Moffat's witty swipe at cancel culture is a highly refreshing hoot
DOUGLAS BELLOWS (Hugh Bonneville) is a presenter on a successful evening news programme called Live at Six.
I'm going to spoil my ballot next week - and this is why
JUST five full days to go now for us all to decide how to vote. Almost half of us still haven't fully made up our minds, polls suggest. An abnormally high number for this late in the campaign - and I'm one of them.
Enough of the sulk.Start playing like you're enjoying it
ALTHOUGH Gareth Southgate was always clear that he would finish his current job either on an opentop bus parade or banished to the Tower of London, he probably didn't have the indignity of being pelted with plastic beer cups on his personal bingo card of humiliations inflicted on England managers.
Lines are so fetch, songs are so forgettable
THIS breezy, arch but boneless musical adaptation by Tina Fey of her milestone high-school comedy demonstrates the law of diminishing returns.
All to play for in Thatcher's seat where Gaza casts cloud for Labour
Jitendra Joshi talks to the candidates fighting it out in Finchley and Golders Green
I'm sorry I upset you over 'Bangladeshi removals', says Keir
SIR Keir Starmer has said he is \"very concerned\" about the upset he caused with comments about Bangladeshi migrants during a general election event.
