Shoot’s England XI to beat Malta on Saturday

Gareth Southgate takes charge of his first game as England manager on Saturday, when the Three Lions host Malta at Wembley Stadium.

The former Middlesbrough manager has taken over on an interim basis after the departure of Sam Allardyce, whose 67-day reign ended on September 27 in controversial circumstances.

One of Southgate’s first tasks was to select a 23-man squad for the visit of Malta, and then the trip to Slovenia next week.

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

The 46-year-old made some surprise inclusions in his original squad, notably Glen Johnson and Jesse Lingard, but an injury to the former means that Burnley’s Michael Keane will take his place.

Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling has also picked up a knock, so Andros Townsend returns to the fold for the first time since May this year.

Attention now turns to what Southgate’s first starting line-up will be, but here is the England starting XI that SHOOT believe will beat Malta on Saturday…