Jack Grealish and Gareth Southgate’s biggest selection headache

England's European Championship gets underway in a matter of days.

Gareth Southgate's men take on Croatia at Wembley on Sunday afternoon to kick off what they hope will be the start of a hugely successful summer as they bid to be crowned the continent's best team.

The squad has been selected, media duties have begun and training sessions in the Burton-on-Trent sunshine are underway in earnest.

With the never-ending discussion over the relative merits of right backing in this country now appearing to have finally ceased with Trent Alexander-Arnold's unfortunate tournament-ending injury, talk has instead turned to who Southgate will pick for that crucial Group D opener against the side who knocked them out in the final four in Russia three years ago.

Some positions pick themselves. Jordan Pickford appears to be a certainty to start in goal with Manchester City league-winner John Stones assured of his starting spot in front of him.

West Ham ball-winner Declan Rice is another guaranteed to make the teamsheet with captain Harry Kane already the first name on there up front.

There are a few, like attacking midfielders Phil Foden and Mason Mount, that feel like odds-on shouts too. Others, however, have a far less clear view of what role they will play.

Jack Grealish is one of those with the Aston Villa playmaker providing perhaps the biggest selection headache of all for Southgate to work through.

Fresh from an outstanding season with Villa, Grealish impressed the most in the two pre-tournament warm-up games against Austria and Romania, grabbing the chance to show his manager what he can do with both hands.

After an injury-interrupted end to the campaign he was afforded more minutes than anyone else to prove both his fitness and quality ahead of the tournament proper and did so with a pair of eye-catching displays.

What he does bring is that oft-needed point of difference with his schoolboy, playground style drawing easy comparisons to Three Lions cult heroes Paul Gascoigne and Wayne Rooney.

While most of the country are now clamouring for his inclusion in that all-important starting XI, the man in charge of picking it has seemingly been one of those hardest to please.

Southgate didn't hand him a first call-up until August of last year and while his knack for carrying the ball and taking the game to the opposition are rivalled by few in the squad, his place in the side is far from assured.

Much of that stems from just how much quality Southgate has at his disposal in that area of the pitch.

While the apparent dearth of options at centre-back have seen Ben White catapulted from outside of the squad all the way into possibly the starting team on Sunday, England's attacking choices are the envy of almost anyone else at the tournament.

Mount is a Champions League winner while Foden and City teammate Raheem Sterling were finalists in Porto 10 days ago too.

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Jadon Sancho could well move for £100m+ this summer such is his talent while Marcus Rashford, when he's not feeding the country's hungry children, is one of the more consistent performers Manchester United have had in years.

It is an embarrassment of riches and one that Southgate must find the right combination of if his side are to deliver on raised expectations of going deep into the competition.

Grealish, though, may be his bet to get them there even if the man himself is just happy to play whatever part he’s asked to by his manager.

“I don’t really think it is a question of doing enough,” he said when asked if his performances in the warm-ups will see him play against Croatians this weekend.

“You only really have to look at the players in my position, most of them have just come back from playing in the Champions League and Europa League final, whereas I’ve been injured for a while.

“The competition is there, but I think it is nice competition to have. I don’t think it is a matter of have I done enough to start, I’ll be ready when called upon.”

You could perhaps forgive Southgate for playing it safe, especially in a first game on home soil where losing is not an option, and opting for the reliability of Sterling or the running of Mount.

As the tournament progresses much will depend on the fitness of Harry Maguire at the back and if and when a defence is shuffled into a three or a two too.

But regardless of how the backline eventually lines up it is easy to see that England's strength is now on the front foot. Grealish should be one of those leading the charge.