Life under Lee Carsley is a lot of fun, huh?
A new dawn in English football began with a quiet 2-0 win in Dublin against the noisy Irish, with former Ireland internationals Jack Grealish and Declan Rice getting their names on the scoresheet.
Carsley’s team are expected to go through their UEFA League of Nations campaign this time after suffering relegation to League B.
The interim boss oversaw a dynamic display at the weekend with a couple of younger faces taking bows from the bench. Unsurprisingly, Carsley have retained the core that Gareth Southgate relied on towards the end of his tenure, but injuries and withdrawals from the squad have forced the former Under-21 boss into some tinkering.
Here’s how England could line up at Wembley on Tuesday.
GK: Jordan Pickford – The man who rarely makes a mistake for his country remains England’s number one. She should enjoy another quiet night after keeping the sheets on Saturday.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – Carsley has made that clear who sees Alexander-Arnold as a right-back, and the Liverpool superstar should make a rare back-to-back start for the Three Lions with Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Reece James absent from the squad.
CB: John Stones – The Manchester City The defender has enjoyed a rather slow start to the season following his exploits at Euro 2024, and was not used at the weekend. However, he could get into Carsley’s Wembley team.
CB: Harry Maguire – It’s great to have this man back involved with the Three Lions after he missed England’s summer adventure. Maguire started against Ireland and should re-emerge as a key figure in the squad. Marc Guehi could also keep his place.
LB: Levi Colwill – Alexander-Arnold’s position on the right means Colwill is a useful option at left-back. The Chelsea defender made his England debut on Saturday for Carsley without Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell.
DM: Kobbie Mainoo – There are holes in Mainoo’s game, but the talent, especially in possession, is undeniable. He helped control England in Dublin on Saturday and has quickly established himself on the international stage after impressing in the last 16 of Euro 2024.
DM: Declan Rice – No celebration against the country you used to represent? Wake-up nonsense or one of football’s top ten moments of respect? Either way, this cannot be denied The rice ones The strike in Dublin was a bit of fun. He will be able to properly enjoy a rare international goal if he finds the back of the net again on Tuesday.
RW: Bukayo So… The two-time England Player of the Year has started the new season with flying colors for Arsenal, and it is unlikely that anyone will usurp him on the right on Tuesday. Noni Madueke will hope to make his England debut from the bench.
AM: Mercy of the King – A litany of withdrawals and possible rotation could open the door for Eze to start on Tuesday as England’s creative talisman. Eze has shown his magic for the Three Lions, but will be looking to assert himself on the international stage after a quiet Euro.
LW: Anthony Gordon – Jack Grealish was excellent at the weekend and another humorous goalscorer, but Carsley understands attacking dynamics and the need for balance. Gordon stretches the pitch and he is the back-rower required by England’s talisman.
ST: Harry Kane – Speaking of who, Kane, given his penchant for dropping deep and distributing, will always perform better with runners ahead. There was promise in Dublin after a hard euro. Kane remains a critical figure for the Three Lions and will love to score a few on Tuesday,
