Former £25m Man Utd star wakes up unemployed just hours before huge Euro 2024 clash

EXPERT football psychologist Professor Geir Jordet has told Gareth Southgate and his players what they can do to give themselves the best chance of victory in any shootouts.

And he has even thrown in a rogue, bold suggestion for the Three Lions manager...

1. START PLANNING LAST YEAR 

“It's about planning for the opposition's penalty takers but also ‘how do we win the psychological game against each opponent?’

2. SMART SOUTHGATE LEADERSHIP

"Southgate will have two minutes to influence his players as effectively as possible, show he has a plan and get confidence across."

3. DICTATE AS A TEAM

"A shootout is really a team performance. Have the goalkeeper walk with the penalty taker into the penalty area to basically create a two-versus-one against the other goalkeeper. Dominate the centre circle, support the players who missed."

4. ‘BULLETPROOF’ INDIVIDUAL ROUTINES 

"Have really good, individualised and rehearsed pre-shot routines that are bulletproof and polished so they're more likely to be able to resist the stress and more likely to score.”

5. SHOOT YOUR SHOT  

"Practise the shot itself, trying to simulate penalty shootouts in training. Even recreating 20 per cent of a Euros final penalty shootout is going to have a benefit for your performance.”

AND A JOR DROPPING IDEA…

Jordan Pickford is the No1 but Dean Henderson actually has a far better penalty record - saving 8/22 (36 per cent) compared to Pickford's 8/62 (13 per cent).

Jordet said: "One could consider making a late substitution for a penalty shootout. I doubt that they dare to do it in case it fails and the pressure is even higher but it would be a very ballsy move."