England are set to face Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has given his verdict on their chances.
Despite progressing through the group stages and round of 16, England have performed poorly and attracted criticism for their mediocre displays.
Arsenal stars Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have been criticised as a result, and Gareth Southgate’s side looked to be heading for a shock exit as they found themselves 1-0 down to Slovakia heading into injury time.
However, a spectacular overhead kick from Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham snatched an equaliser, before Harry Kane scored the winner to set up a tie with Granit Xhaka’s Switzerland.
Arteta has now claimed that this moment of jubilation could help give England a much-needed morale boost to improve their performances.
Mikel Arteta claims Jude Bellingham goal can give England Euro 2024 boost
Speaking to ESPN, Arteta explained the importance of momentum for England following their dramatic win in the round of 16.
“You never know. I think the Euros started [properly] on Sunday and we have to wait and see how it develops,” he replied when asked about who could win the tournament.
“But momentum-wise it was a big moment for England. Big, big moment. I think that is going to reunite everybody. When you see yourself almost out, that puts a different context and perspective onto things.
“Everybody wants to be in it, that’s the reality so let’s see what happens.”
England need to build on momentum from dramatic win
Arteta has highlighted how England can capitalise on their previous victory to spark a turnaround in performance levels against Switzerland, but Southgate’s side will need to quickly improve.
The win saw Saka moved to left-back, then back to the wing, and Southgate’s uncertainty over his best lineup heading into the quarter-finals is far from ideal.
If England, spurred on by the nature of their victory, can unlock the potential of their attack against Switzerland, they can reach the semi-finals. However, another poor performance may be punished by Switzerland, and their fortune may run out if they cannot find the quality to raise their game.
Arsenal chasing Riccardo Calafiori and mystery German target as England face Switzerland
In this week’s episode, Will Jones and Rahul Lakhani discussed England’s recent victory over Slovakia at the European Championships. With Arsenal players Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka featuring again, Man City star Kyle Walker came under scrutiny.
With Arsenal also linked to Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, the pair explained why the Italy star could be the perfect fit for Mikel Arteta. Recent social media rumours surrounding a potential Arsenal move for a Germany International were also addressed, with some candidates named.