England vs Germany: Rooney tells Southgate player not to play in Euro 2020 match

Former England striker, Wayne Rooney, has urged manager, Gareth Southgate, not to play Aston Villa's Jack Grealish from the start against Germany when both countries clash at the Euro 2020.

Rooney wants Southgate to instead feature Manchester United's Marcus Rashford against Germany ahead of Grealish.

England will on Tuesday evening tackle Germany in the Euro 2020 round of 16 tie at Wembley Stadium.

The Three Lions head to the game after beating Cezch Republic 1-0 in their final Group D fixture, while Germany played a 2-2 draw with Hungary.

Writing in his column for The Times, Rooney said: "After all my championing of Jack Grealish, I would not play him from the start against Germany. He was one of England's better players against the Czech Republic and it's not that my opinion of him has changed.

"My thinking is entirely down to how the Germans play. Different opponents demand different approaches and Tuesday's game is tailor-made for Marcus Rashford - but not Jack.

"The more players you have who want to take the ball to feet, the more Germany can press, so instead of Jack I would be looking to have runners on either side of Harry Kane.

"My instruction would be to attack the spaces behind their wing-backs when they go forward and make runs down the channels to the sides of their centre backs - especially given Mats Hummels's problems against pace.

"Rashford is ideal for the job and one of Raheem Sterling, Bukayo Saka or Jadon Sancho would complete my forward line. Raheem has been in brilliant form and Saka impressed against the Czechs, while Sancho knows the German players the best, so I don't think you could lose with whichever option you chose.

"The first thought when England win it should be to play into the channels and have Rashford, and Sterling/Saka/Sancho going in behind. Having runners will get England up the pitch and take Germany's counter-press away."