Former footballer Roy Keane believes that England manager Gareth Southgate will face significant pressure in the round of 16 after witnessing Cole Palmer’s standout performance in the match against Slovenia.

England has yet to show signs of improvement at Euro 2024, continuing to be held to a draw by Slovenia in their final Group C match. Despite having already secured their place in the next round, the team’s performance has left fans greatly disappointed, as their star-studded lineup, including some of the world’s top superstars, failed to breach the opponent’s defense.

However, there were rare bright spots in this match, with the most notable being the steady performance of young talent Cole Palmer. The 22-year-old player, brought on as a substitute, impressed with several remarkable plays, thereby causing Southgate to face selection headaches for the upcoming rounds.

This sentiment was affirmed by former player Roy Keane, who stated that Southgate will have a “pleasant headache” due to the pressure to field Palmer in the next match, given his impactful performance tonight.

England is struggling to maintain the pace of the game. However, they managed to keep a clean sheet, and several young players who entered the field tonight might provide a way forward. Keane emphasized, “I always say with young players, they have no fear, sometimes just let them play.”

In addition, Southgate himself praised the performances of young players like Kobbie Mainoo, Anthony Gordon, and particularly Palmer. The 53-year-old strategist admitted, “Palmer played very well. He found space well and created opportunities, and we trusted he would score towards the end of the match.”

“These are young players, and we are giving them experience in a challenging environment. They have had a positive impact and done a lot of good things for us. Anthony Gordon, Cole Palmer, Kobbie Mainoo, that’s a really positive change. We have to build on that. There’s a lot to develop from tonight.”

In the round of 16, England will face one of the third-placed teams with good records from Group D/E/F, with potential tough opponents such as the Netherlands, Belgium, or Turkey.