Barkley relishing England role

Ross Barkley admits that he feels more confident within the England squad and is looking forward to the prospect of featuring at Euro 2016.

The Everton midfielder is expected to be included in Roy Hodgson’s final 23-man squad for the finals after establishing himself as a regular within the Three Lions set-up over recent months.

The 22-year-old will play at his second major championships if he is selected for this summer’s finals, but he feels much more important to the squad than he did at the World Cup two years ago.

He said: “I feel more important to the squad now, and more confident when I go into England camps because I’ve played over 20 games. I think I’ve matured as a player since the World Cup.”

Barkley is expected to battle it out with Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli for a place in Roy Hodgson’s starting line-up in France, but he is adamant that the two youngsters can play together if called upon.

He added: “I definitely believe we (him and Alli) can play together if asked, in this tournament and in the future. It’s up to Roy what he sees in each game, whether he needs both of us, or one attacking midfielder with a bit of balance.”

England will take on Russia, Wales and Slovakia in Group B of the competition, and they are available at 1.80 to win the group, while they are on offer at 1.10 to qualify for the knockout stages.