It’s fair to say this international break was far from perfect for Gareth Southgate. Plenty of fans were on the England manager’s back after a winless double-header to open 2024, with the Three Lions losing to Brazil and salvaging a late draw against Belgium.

Those two games were the final matches before Gareth Southgate announces his 23-man squad for Euro 2024, so the raft of injuries he had to endure this month was another blow. Despite that, the battle just to make the plane will be intense, with bet365 pricing 27 players below evens to make it to Germany.

We looked at the England squad earlier this year to pick five outsiders who could make the tournament, with some of those odds shifting dramatically. Below is a look at how the March games impacted the betting market, with a couple of interesting priced selections to consider.

All of the odds quoted below come from bet365, who are offering £30 in free bets to new customers. You can take advantage of that great offer through the banner below.

Mainoo’s impressive late run

A couple of months ago, we picked out Mainoo at 11/1 to make the Euro 2024 squad. After impressing in the March games, the midfielder is now as short as 2/7 with bet365 to make the cut. Defensive midfield has been a problem position for Southgate for much of his reign, so a regular in the Manchester United side always has a chance of securing a spot.

Cole Palmer is the other big mover in the early months of 2024. He’s now as short as 2/5, which suggests his ticket for the tournament is all but secured. Palmer’s stellar displays for Chelsea have been a bright spot in a poor campaign and his flashes of brilliance in an inconsistent side make him a perfect fit for international football.

We also had Jarrad Branthwaite at 4/1 and the Everton man has since been cut to 10/11 after making the latest squad. However, he was an unused substitute in both friendlies, which suggests he is just a placeholder for someone like Harry Maguire, who is 1/6 to be involved.

Konsa stands out

While Branthwaite is below evens to make the squad, Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa is a more tempting option at 5/4. The versatile defender can cover three spots in the back four, which is a great attribute to have at a tournament.

Konsa came on for Kyle Walker after 20 minutes against Brazil and he played the full 90 minutes at right-back against Belgium. While right-back is possibly the toughest area to break into the side, the full-back positions in this England squad feature plenty of injury concerns. Bringing Konsa as the final centre-half and having the option for him to cover at full-back might be a better option than including Lewis Dunk or Branthwaite.

Value in reserve keeper race

While Jordan Pickford and Aaron Ramsdale likely have their spots at the tournament nailed down, the third and final keeper doesn’t seem to be a sure thing. Sam Johnstone was included in this latest squad, before he dropped out with an injury.

Nick Pope is a 4/7 shot to be included with bet365, but his lack of football is a real concern. James Trafford stepped up from the under 21s to replace Johnstone, but the uncapped Burnley stopper is struggling to hold his place for a side that sit 19th in the Premier League table.

That makes Jack Butland an intriguing option at 3/1. The Rangers keeper has nine caps for England and his return to form has come at the perfect time. Butland’s career sagged after some tough seasons at Stoke and he spent a while as a backup keeper at Crystal Palace and Manchester United. He’s been a regular in a Rangers side who are flying right now, making him a safe option for an England boss who often seems overly risk-avoidant.

Could Mount make a late run?

Southgate is known for having his favourites and Mason Mount was one of those until his troubled move to Manchester United. The Chelsea product hasn’t been able to stay fit this term but he’s expected to feature in United’s run-in.

Mount played 30 times for Southgate between 2020 and 2022 and while he hasn’t featured in over a year, he’s exactly the kind of option the England boss likes to have around.

Jordan Henderson didn’t feature across either of the March games and Conor Gallagher didn’t excel against Brazil before being an unused substitute against Belgium. Mount could step in for either of them or he could be a more conservative pick in the attacking midfield spots, so he is the best longshot selection at 10/1.

Build better bets with our free betting tips, predictions and accumulators, every day.

More betting news:

Today’s football tips & accumulators

Betting Academy: See our complete guide to football betting

Free Super Tips is the home of Free Football Tips. Make sure to take a look at our most popular betting tips, such as our Accumulator Tips and Both Teams To Score Tips.