‘Time to step up’ - John Stones calls on Man City stars to lead England to Euro 2024 success

John Stones has called on Manchester City’s experienced players to ‘step up’ and help lead England to Euro 2024 success.

The Three Lions have struggled during the opening three games of the tournament and produced flat, uninspiring performances against Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia. Despite that, Gareth Southgate’s side have looked well organised defensively and only Spain have conceded fewer than England's one goal in the group stages.

Stones, along with club team-mate Kyle Walker make up half of the back four, and the former believes the pair - along with Phil Foden - need to bring their winning mentality at club level to the international scene. 

“I think it’s time for our senior boys to step up off the pitch and give our advice and how we have approached things over the last seven years at City, our experiences of big-pressure games, big-pressure games in the Euros and World Cup. We try and keep everyone as calm as possible,” Stones said in the latest episode of Lions’ Den.

“We know all there is another gear,” added Walker. “But as a defensive unit we have been very good and have obviously only conceded one goal. I thought we put in a few good performances.

Asked about England’s approach to the knockout stages, Walker said: “I don’t think you should change too much. You have to play the game and the occasion.

“You’re representing your country and getting to a knockout stage, it’s about winning a game of football. But nothing can change too much because when you start playing the game and the occasion, things start to go wrong.

“We’ve been here before and it’s not our first time going into a knockout situation. Me and John have been fortunate to represent our country enough times now and we just need to make sure we up it that five or ten percent collectively and individually and we will be fine.”