Nedum Onuoha
Former Manchester City defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

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With the expectations I have for James McAtee and Harvey Elliott, I think they have underperformed. I'd like to see them step up in a massive situation like this - a knockout tie for your country.

But on the other side of it is that we have spoken about England needing a striker in the last three games.

Jay Stansfield is coming into this side and it's his chance today. It's good to see him tested at this level. We've seen him play for Birmingham City but this is international football. Let's see what he is made of.

In Spain, England face perhaps the most daunting side remaining in the competition.

Spain have won the U21 Euros five times and have reached the final in five of the last seven editions of this tournament, winning three times.

Daunting but not impossible for the Young Lions.

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Spain finished top of Group A while England secured second spot in Group B but Lee Carsley isn't having that his Young Lions are underdogs.

"I don't feel like an underdog. If we can perform and we can play to our ability, we've got a great chance of winning the game," Carsley said.

"I believe Spain are a top team and anyone who was with us in the last few Euros knows you have to beat all of the top teams."

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Stephen Warnock
Former Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

England have been really poor at the start of the games in this tournament. If they do that again tonight, they will get punished by Spain.

My biggest concern about this England team is the amount of opportunities they are affording the opposition.

If you are solid defensively, there's a feeling you are not far away in a game even if you are not producing offensively. But when you concede a lot of chances like England do, that's a real concern.

It feels just like that they are a bit disjointed and feels like Lee Carsley is hoping to stumble upon his best 11.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the A. Malatinsky Stadium

England have history in Trnava at the Anton Malatinsky Stadium.

It was the scene for Sam Allardyce's one and only game in charge of the senior side - with Adam Lallana's 90th minute winner pinching victory at the death in their World Cup qualifier in 2016.

The Under-19s also celebrated success here when they won the European Championship in 2022.

Six of the current Under-21 squad - Teddy Sharman-Lowe, Ronnie Edwards, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Jarell Quansah, Samuel Iling-Junior and Alex Scott - lifted the title three years ago.

A number of these players may have their eyes on a spot in the England senior squad for the World Cup next summer.

The likes of Harvey Elliott, Jarell Quansah, Tino Livramento and Ethan Nwaneri may feel as though they are a good season away from Thomas Tuchel's squad.

The chance to follow in the footsteps of Cole Palmer, Curtis Jones, Levi Colwill and Morgan Gibbs-White is here.

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Spain's U21 side has seen some real superstars come through the ranks.

In 2013, the likes of Isco, David de Gea, Thiago Alcantara, Koke and Alvaro Morata were in the squad.

Two years prior, Juan Mata, Thiago (again), Javi Martinez and Cesar Azpillicueta were decked out in the red of Spain.

Who will be the star this time around?

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BBC Radio 5 Live

Fancy listening to this game? Well then, we have you covered over on BBC Radio 5 Live!

Tune in now by clicking the 'listen live' button at the top of this page at 20:00 BST to hear the action unfold.

England U21s manager Lee Carsley on changes to the team to Channel 4: "We felt we needed to get the team prepared physically. We needed to make changes. Elliot Anderson is an important part of the team and he will definitely come on during the game.

"It's a case of Jay [Stansfield] earning the right to play. This was always going to be a demanding tournament physically with so many games in quick succession. I don't want players getting injured because we played them too much.

"In the last two games, we started slowly. We spoke about the mentality of starting games fast. We need to be aggressive with our passing and contact. The players look fully focussed and are looking forward to the game."

On Spain: "It's a totally different squad and game [compared to the 2022 final]. Spain are always a tough test. We have to match them."

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Time to hear from the boss Lee Carsley...

Ipswich attacker Omari Hutchinson has looked a bright spark for England during their three group games and is hoping the Young Lions' physicality can give them the edge over Spain.

“I think they’re very good on the ball but we want to be dominant, so we're going to have to take that away from them.

"I think we can be physically better than them, so we need to outrun them and take them to the final whistle.”

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Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the A. Malatinsky Stadium

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It's a warm evening in Trnava, which is around 50k outside of Bratislava for a repeat of the Euro 2023 final.

This time England Under-21s meet Spain in the quarter finals and must find the sparkle which eluded them in the group stage to progress.

Spain are seen as favourites but Young Lions boss Lee Carsley said in his pre-match press conference he did not feel like an underdog.

He is right not to - having guided the Under-21s to glory against Spain two years ago - but England are yet to serious find their form in Slovakia - coming second in Group B with four points - and must click to avoid a plane home tomorrow.

And there we have it!

Tonight's winner will play the Netherlands in the semi-finals.

The Netherlands were reduced to 10-men when Ruben van Bommel was sent for an early bath in the 21st minute.

After soaking up the Portugal pressure, the Netherlands struck in the 84th minute through Ernest Poku.

England kickstarted their defence of the Euro U21 crown with a comfortable 3-1 win over Czech Republic before earning a point against Slovenia in a frustrating 0-0 draw.

Then came Germany and England's first defeat of the competition. The Young Lions had to settle for second place in Group B after falling to a 2-1 loss on Wednesday.

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You know the drill by now, we want to hear from you guys during our live texts!

Let us know your thoughts and opinions ahead of and during England's quarter-final, please.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the A. Malatinsky Stadium

Birmingham striker Jay Stansfield leads the line for England Under-21s as they look to reach the semi-finals in Slovakia.

Tino Livramento returns following the 2-1 defeat to Germany in the final group game with Tyler Morton and James McAtee also restored to the starting XI.

England Under-21s XI: Beadle, Hinshelwood, Cresswell, Quansah, Livramento, Scott, Morton, Hutchinson, Elliott, Stansfield, McAtee.

Subs: Edwards, Hackney, Fellows, Anderson, Rowe, Norton-Cuffy, Gray, Egan-Riley, Iling-Junior, Nwaneri, Simkin, Sharman-Lowe

Leeds striker Mateo Joseph starts up front for Spain.

The 21-year-old's father is former England striker Emile Heskey's cousin.

Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra is joined by team mate Diego Lopez with Las Palmas' Alberto Moleiro completing the three behind the striker.

Wolves' Hugh Bueno, who enjoyed a good loan spell at Feyenoord last season, starts at left-back.

Spain Under-21s XI: Iturbe, Pubill, Tarrega, Mosquera, Bueno, Guerra, Turrientes, Juanlu, Moleiro, Lopez, Mateo Joseph

Subs: Rafa Marin, Torre, Moro, Garcia, Jaureguizar, Herzog, Rodriguez, Fernandez, Marin, Fraga, Cunat

Right then, let's get into the team news for tonight's big game.

Three, two, one...

Hello everyone and welcome to our live text of England U21s quarter-final against Spain.

The Three Lions will have to come through one of the the toughest of tests if they are to carry on attempting to defend the title they won two years ago.

Anyway, kick-off is at 20:00 BST so let's get to it!

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England and Spain meet in the European Under-21 Championships again.

We all know what happened last time...

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