Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has admitted that he would like to see Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount start in England's World Cup round of 16 clash against Senegal on Sunday whilst also giving a verdict on whether Manchester City's Phil Foden and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka should also be handed starts.
Mount started the Three Lions' first two group matches in a midfield three alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham but was an unused substitute for the final match, a 3-0 victory over fellow Home Nation Wales.
Manager Gareth Southgate has regularly relied on the 23-year-old given his impressive work rate and ability to break the lines and Merson would like to see the Chelsea man return to the England line up.
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"I wouldn't go with Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Jordan Henderson as the midfield three, it's too one-dimensional and you're asking for Harry Kane to drop deeper and deeper," Merson wrote in his column for Sky Sports.
"If you're going to give one of the midfield three the freedom to roam forward, then Mason Mount should be starting there. I'd have Mount in midfield over Henderson because he moves the ball quickly, sees a pass and is on the half-turn.
"If you play Mount, I think it would keep Kane further up the pitch and would allow you to push Bellingham forward, leaving Rice in front of the back four, which is enough, you don't need two defensive midfielders in front of the back four.
"England have got to play at a high tempo. When they play at a high tempo, they are a very good team, as we saw against Iran and in the second half against Wales."
The former Arsenal playmaker also admitted that he expects Saka and Chelsea's Raheem Sterling to be recalled to the starting lineup after both were unused substitutes against Wales, having both scored in the 6-2 victory over Iran and started the following game against the USA.
Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford took the places of Saka and Sterling on Tuesday evening, with the three goals scored by the duo collectively. However, Merson admitted he would 'be shocked' if Southgate names an unchanged side.
The pundit added: "I'd be shocked if Southgate named an unchanged team, and I mean shocked. I don't think the team will be far off the one which started against Iran or USA, with Kyle Walker coming in. Walker will definitely play. Along as he is fit, he's the second name on the teamsheet.
"Raheem Sterling has always been Southgate's go-to player, as has Bukayo Saka. The fact neither of them started against Wales perhaps indicates they could be back in against Senegal.
"Too many people fall into the trap of picking the same team. I don't get that, especially when you look at who we played. Rashford did well and scored two goals, but with all due respect, every other goalkeeper in the tournament would have caught the first one. It didn't hit the side-netting and wasn't in the top corner, it was poor goalkeeping."
England's round of 16 clash against Champions of Africa Senegal takes place at Al-Bayt Stadium on Sunday, with the winner of the tie facing France or Poland in the quarter-finals.
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