Following a dismal defeat to Greece on Thursday evening, England are searching for a response in Finland on Sunday in the UEFA Nations League.
Greece were worthy 2-1 winners at Wembley Stadium as Lee Carsley suffered his first loss as England’s interim manager. An experimental lineup resulted in a sub-par display from the Three Lions, who now find themselves three points behind the Euro 2004 champions in their Nations League group.
England are hunting promotion back to League A after a surprise relegation in 2022/23 and will still fancy their chances of securing a return to the top table. However, they can’t afford another slip-up against Finland in Helsinki, a side they beat 2-0 thanks to a Harry Kane double during the September break.
Here is how England could line up on Sunday.
GK: Jordan Pickford – An incredibly shaky display against Greece was reminiscent of Pickford in his early days at Everton rather than the more accomplished goalkeeper we have seen with the national team. However, his starting spot should be secure with credit in the bank.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – The Liverpool full-back was unable to conjure up any magic against Greece to help England out of trouble, while he was also a little susceptible defensively. Kyle Walker will be eyeing his starting berth this weekend.
CB: John Stones – Having taken the England captain’s armband for the first time in Kane’s absence, Stones delivered a weak performance against the insatiable Vangelis Pavlidis. Teemu Pukki will be hopeful of bettering the Manchester City defender this time around.
CB: Marc Guehi – A somewhat surprising omission from Carsley’s lineup on Thursday given his impressive recent displays for his country. However, the Crystal Palace man could well grace the starting XI after the defensive horror show in London.
LB: Levi Colwill – Rico Lewis delivered a mixed performance at left-back at Wembley and may be replaced by Colwill, who was used out wide in Carsley’s first match against the Republic of Ireland.
CM: Jude Bellingham – England’s refusal to play Bellingham in a deeper position is a little strange given he thrived in a box-to-box role at Borussia Dortmund before his Real Madrid move. Despite scoring against Greece, he also performed below his usual high standards.
CM: Declan Rice – The Arsenal midfielder is a guaranteed presence in the engine room every time England play but finding his long-term partner is proving a little challenging. The absence of Kobbie Mainoo has forced Carsley to get creative in October, but it’s left Rice isolated.
RW: Noni Madueke – Madueke brought a spark with him from the bench on Thursday, injecting some life into proceedings after replacing the injured Bukayo Saka. With the Arsenal star sidelined, Chelsea’s fleet-footed winger should start.
AM: Cole Palmer – The Chelsea talisman rarely delivers a poor performance and he certainly wasn’t shocking against Greece. However, he is usually most effective playing in a number ten role and his impressive club form means he can’t be ignored as England’s attacking midfield dynamo any longer.
LW: Phil Foden – Foden was arguably the worst of the bunch on Thursday with a lifeless display that was akin to his Euro 2024 outings. However, a lack of alternatives means that the Man City man will likely feature from the start in Finland.
ST: Ollie Watkins – Carsley’s big mistake was playing without a traditional number nine for an hour against Greece with Kane missing. The England skipper may miss out again on Sunday and Aston Villa’s Watkins should get the nod in his place.
