One of the many questions asked of England following the win over Serbia revolves around the role of striker and captain Harry Kane.

Kane often cut an isolated figure up front and rarely touched the ball - but here Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker discuss his role during the 1-0 opening win at Euro 2024 and how he helped the team.

Alex Howell
BBC football news reporter at the England camp

When England's stand-in left-back Kieran Trippier went down injured in the closing stages of their opening Euro 2024 win over Serbia on Sunday, some fans would have feared the worst.

However, TV pictures showed Trippier, 33, stretching his right leg out on the advertising board while ingesting two sachets given to him by the England doctor. He was able to play the full 90 minutes and help England see out the win.

What was the secret? One sachet was a high-carb drink referred to as a ‘fuel bomb’ and the other was pickle juice.

Pickle juice?! It might sound disgusting, but pickle juice is one part of the England team’s strategy to combat cramp in players.

Pickle juice is used particularly commonly in tennis and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz drank it during his five-set victory over Novak Djokovic last summer. It has been found to stop cramping ‘40% faster than drinking water’.

Although the juice contains sodium, potassium and vinegar - which would be thought to replace the salts players have lost during a game - it is actually something different which makes it effective.

When drunk, it triggers a reflex in the mouth which sends a signal to stop muscles from cramping.

Now you know.

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You will be able to watch tomorrow's match live on BBC One, with coverage beginning at 16.00 BST.

If you're out and about, you can follow the match on BBC Sounds, while we will also be live texting the game here on the BBC Sport website.

Host Germany are currently 2-0 up against Hungary - follow the latest here.

Gordon also says he likes the "deep thought process" of chess and the "hard challenge" of learning how to play.

“I think chess is a life skill because it applies to everything. You've always got to think one, two, three moves ahead.

“Chess I actually taught myself - I didn't have a clue how to play it. I just learned by playing.

"I just love it. It's a very peaceful game. It gets my brain working, which I love."

Gordon left boyhood club Everton for Newcastle in January 2023, in a deal worth up to £45m. He had been at Goodison since the age of 11.

"I think everyone in Liverpool likes boxing. I think every kid just finds themselves in the local boxing club.

"You grow up watching it as well. On the pitch, I think it makes me more aggressive, play with more tenacity.

"Before I started [boxing], I was down a lot. I would get pushed off the ball a lot.

"And then when I started doing it, it brought out a different side of me, aggression, and just wanting to win, more desire in those battles."

In an interview on The Overlap with former Premier League defender Gary Neville earlier this year, Gordon gave an insight into his mental toughness and his love of books on psychology and sport.

He revealed the book that has had the biggest impact on him is Winning by Tim Grover. The author is the former trainer of NBA legends Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

Gordon says: "That's an incredible book about mentality and the things you've got to go through to really succeed. It's basically saying you can do everything you feel like you can do and still come up short. But you won't have regrets then.

"He's walking you through high-level sport. To be at the very top, things we go through every single day are tough and crazy sometimes.

"Not a lot of people would know we go through so many different emotions. Then it's dealing with them and being composed and we still have to perform regardless of what's going on.

“He's giving you ways to deal with that, so it helped me massively."

Gordon told BBC Sport that he has three books with him in Germany - Dan Carter's The Art of Winning and Leadership, David Goggins' Never Finished and Life Force by scientist Tony Robbins.

On Life Force, Gordon explains: "[Manchester United goalkeeper] Tom Heaton was talking about Ronaldo at the table the other day and said that was the book he was reading and suggested it to the Man Utd lads.

"I was earwigging and thinking, 'If Ronaldo reads it, I'm going to have a little read and see if I can pick anything out!'"

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Sometimes England and Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon wakes up and writes down his goals for the day. Not just football, but "for life as well".

Liverpudlian Gordon, 23, is one of a number of this current England Euro 2024 squad to speak openly about manifestation and visualisation - setting out targets that you want to come true.

"Sometimes I do it in the morning and visualise who I want to be for that day," says Gordon.

"It's just about setting your intentions to who you want to be and it allows you to do that a lot easier.

"We're all naturally very emotional and when you're emotional you tend to make bad decisions. It's trying to come away from those emotions and trying to see the bigger picture."

Gordon spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live's Steve Crossman at England's Blankenhain camp on Tuesday about his love of boxing, chess and psychology books...

• Listen to Anthony Gordon's full interview on the latest edition of BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast

Who do you think Gareth Southgate should pick for the match? Check out the squad list selector here and choose your XI.

Kobbie Mainoo is competing for a place in England's midfield to play with likely starters Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham.

Real Madrid's Bellingham is among the candidates to win the Ballon d'Or for his starring role in the La Liga and Champions League-winning side.

Asked if Bellingham could be crowned the world's best player this year, Mainoo said: "Yeah definitely. I mean everyone knows how great a player he is. We see it everyday in training.

"He's such a nice guy as well. He's demanding, he has high standards that he sets and to play with him is great.

"Dec [Rice] is also such a good player, so reliable and so good on the ball and dominant in midfield, so when I did get to play with him it's always a joy to have someone so strong on the ball next to you. You can always trust him no matter where you are on the pitch.

"Everyone knows he's worth every penny, he's such a good player. He's proved that in the Premier League and also on the international level.

"[Playing alongside Rice], it frees me up a lot and allows me to go forward and attack and I always know that when I go I can trust that he's there. It's a dream."

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England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo says the "great journey" Denmark and Manchester United team-mate Christian Eriksen has been on is "amazing", as the two nations prepare to meet in Group C on Thursday.

Eriksen scored the opening goal in Denmark's first game of Euro 2024 against Slovenia - exactly 1,100 days after he had a cardiac arrest on the pitch in their opening match of the 2021 Euros.

The 32-year-old midfielder was later fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), which has allowed him to continue his career in the Premier League.

"I have learned a lot from him, watching him last season when I wasn't playing as much, trying to learn and pick up from his game as well," said Mainoo.

"The great journey he has been on since the last Euros is amazing. To be around him so close, he's such a great player.

"If I'm to play on Thursday I'll have to put that to the side to compete against him and hopefully get the win."

Rasmus Hojlund, another of Mainoo's United team-mates, is also in the Denmark side, but the 19-year-old midfielder says the two have not spoken about the match.

"I've not spoken to him recently, but I'll probably leave that for after the game," he added.

"I haven't played against him before. He's a really good friend, it's good to have those relationships on the pitch and you build them off the pitch and around the training ground."

Today, Gareth Southgate hosts his media conference.

Yesterday, England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo was the man to face the press - here's what the Manchester United youngster had to say...

As always, we are keen to hear from you and get your thoughts on England at Euro 2024.

Who would you like to see Southgate pick tomorrow, and what have you made of England's tournament so far - happy to have three points on the board, or worried about the display versus Serbia?

Let us know using the contact details above.

Welcome to our live text coverage of Gareth Southgate's pre-match media conference.

The England manager will be speaking to the press ahead of the Three Lions' second match in Group C of Euro 2024, against Denmark.

Every word Southgate says, we will bring to you right here.

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