Ledley King has noted in his column for the Evening Standard how England can hurt Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday through Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Tottenham’s Harry Kane.
The pair combined to create the opening for England to pull level with Denmark in the semi-final, with Kane feeding Saka in behind the defence. The Gunners winger then delivered a threatening ball across the box for Raheem Sterling, which Simon Kjaer turned home.
Kane had come short to receive possession in between the Denmark defence and midfield before finding Saka. While the teenager timed his run to perfection to beat his man and have time to assess his options.
King believes Kane and Saka providing a similar impact will be key to England beating Italy. The Tottenham icon feels Kane dropping short can force the Azzurri’s defence out of position, and open the space for Arsenal speedster Saka to exploit.
But King is fully aware that Italy have two wise old heads at centre-half in Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. The 36 and 34-year-olds have been around long enough to know all the tricks Kane and Saka could attempt. Creating the prospect of a brilliant battle.
King wrote: “Kane’s battle with Chiellini and his centre-half partner Leonardo Bonucci will be fascinating. The key for Harry – and what, for me, makes him the best No 9 in the world – is his ability to drop off into space, as he did for England’s first goal against Denmark.
“If he can pull away at the right times and get that movement in front of him from runners Sterling and Bukayo Saka, that’s when you can hurt Chiellini and Bonucci. But they’re wily old foxes and they’ll know what to expect.”
North London rivals Arsenal’s Saka and Tottenham’s Kane to fire England to glory?
It would be an unlikely union of north London rivals Arsenal’s Saka and Tottenham’s Kane coming together to fire England to Euro 2020 glory. But the pair combined magnificently against Denmark, and Gareth Southgate will know they can hurt Italy on their day.
Saka had the ability to make England tick in attack in midweek and never shrieked from the challenge when surrounded. He found ways out of tight pockets, beat his man, and put in a shift defensively supporting Kyle Walker.
Kane, meanwhile, kept his cool to react first to Kasper Schmeichel saving his extra-time penalty for the winner. He also showed great vision to find Saka in the first-half of regular time, and kept moving for the ball.
If both can replicate their midweek exploits on Sunday then, like King suggests, Saka and Kane can hurt Italy. The Italian media have already dubbed the Spurs striker the ‘number one public danger’, as well.
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