European U21 Championship Monday preview: Slovakia v England, Poland v Sweden
Sunday 18 June 2017 13:51, UK
England take on Slovakia and Poland host Sweden on Monday in European U21 Championship action, live on Sky Sports.
The Young Lions return to Kielce hoping to pick up their first win of the campaign after a goalless draw against Sweden in their opening match.
That stalemate has reduced their margin of error as they bid to reach the knockout stage, with hosts Poland in deeper trouble after a 2-1 defeat to Slovakia.
Slovakia v England - 4:30pm on Sky Sports 1 HD
England need an improved performance on Monday after Jordan Pickford's late penalty save preserved a point against Sweden.
They dominated the early stages but looked worryingly toothless as the match wore on, with star man Tammy Abraham isolated up front.
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He faces another tough assignment against Slovakia, who boast a mean defence led by Sampdoria centre-back Milan Skriniar.
Skriniar already has nine senior caps and was previously linked with a move to the Premier League before opting for Serie A in January 2016.
England's opponents are in the driving seat in Group A after their victory over Poland, with only the group winners guaranteed to advance.
It makes Monday's meeting a crucial match for the Young Lions and it will be interesting to see whether Boothroyd makes changes - Demarai Gray could be in contention to start after his second-half cameo on Friday.
Key players to watch: Tammy Abraham (Chelsea/England) and Milan Skriniar (Sampdoria/Slovakia)
Live UEFA European Under-21s Championship Football
Poland v Sweden - 7:40pm on Sky Sports 1 HD
The hosts' defeat to Slovakia leaves them playing catch-up in Group A and they will likely be without key man Bartosz Kapustka on Monday.
The Leicester City winger suffered an ankle injury and is a major doubt to face Sweden, further harming Poland's hopes of success on home soil.
Sweden grew into their opening game against England, weathering an early storm before enjoying the better of play.
Malmo midfielder Pawel Cibicki looked their brightest spark and he was unfortunate not to break the deadlock when his curling effort from range struck Pickford's crossbar.
Linus Wahlqvist's failure from 12 yards only added to a sense of an opportunity missed for Sweden but the defending champions remain in a solid position to challenge for top spot.
Key players to watch: Jan Bednarek (Lech Poznan/Poland), Pawel Cibicki (Malmo, Sweden)
Live UEFA European Under-21s Championship Football
