Michael Keane to start for England vs Germany with Gareth Southgate set to experiment with back three

He will join Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling in a back three as Gareth Southgate experiments with the formation Antonio Conte has brought back into vogue with Chelsea this season

Michael Keane will win his first cap against Germany (Getty)

Gareth Southgate appears to be making a bold start to his career as permanent England manager by giving a debut to Burnley’s Michael Keane and a first international start to West Bromwich Albion’s Jake Livermore in a new-look side which will face Germany in Dortmund tonight.

Keane has been consistently impressive for Burnley in the Premier League this season and the 24-year-old is to be rewarded with a tough assignment in what seems likely to be a three-man defence against Joachim Low’s side.

Livermore, who spoke this week of how the hopes of an England recall seemed to have been lost, five years after he was brought on by Roy Hodgson as a 69th minute substitute in a 2-1 friendly win over Italy in Switzerland, will help anchor the midfield.

Though Southgate said on Tuesday night that tonight’s selection is made with Sunday’s World Cup qualifier against Lithuania in mind, the omission of Manchester City’s John Stones in favour of Keane – who is more consistent at club level – could see the beginning of a new-look defence.

Chris Smalling and captain Gary Cahill are expected to be the other members of Southgate’s three-man defence. Stones will look on with some anxiety.

Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy – anther player who comes into the international break in top form – is likely to lead the line, rather than Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford. Vardy has looked more impressive than Rashford in recenet week. Tottenham Hotspur’s Dele Alli and Liverpool’s Adam Lallana are thought likely to operate behind him. Kyle Walker and Ryan Bertrand get the call as wing–backs outside Eric Dier and Livermore

Possible England team: (3-4-2-1) Hart; Keane, Cahill, Smalling; Walker, Dier, Livermore, Bertrand; Alli, Lallana; Vardy