England play their first match under new head coach Thomas Tuchel on Friday night, welcoming Albania to Wembley Stadium for a World Cup qualifier. The expectations for Gareth Southgate’s successor are clear from the outset, with qualifying from Group K surely a formality he has been hired with nothing more than a demand to win England its first major international tournament since 1966.
Under his predecessor England reached back-to-back finals at the European Championships and established themselves among the inner circle of contenders to win the World Cup next summer. Even with injuries robbing Tuchel of the likes of Bukayo Saka, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer the squad has an impressive look to it and there will be pressure to begin in style.Â
Albania, however, are not to be taken for granted. After all having reached Euro 2024 they pushed Italy and Spain all the way in one-goal defeats, drawing with Croatia as well. Since then they have dropped out of a competitive Nations League second-tier group but with talent like Armando Broja and Kristjan Asllani to call on, they will believe they can spoil Tuchel’s big day.
Viewing information
- Date:Â Friday, March 21Â |Â Time:Â 3:45 p.m. ET
- Location:Â Wembley Stadium — London
- Live stream:Â Fubo (Try for free)
- Odds:Â England -700; Draw +700; Albania +1600
Team news
England: In addition to the many absentees that come as standard at this stage of the domestic season, Tuchel will have to do without Palmer, who has been unable to join up with the squad since being called up last week. The Chelsea forward missed defeat to Arsenal with muscular discomfort and his place was taken by Morgan Gibbs-White. That aside it is a clean bill of health for the 26 men that make up the Three Lions squad.
What will be most intriguing is the system Tuchel chooses to play. At Chelsea the German favored a back three — a system England frequently gravitated to with Southgate at the helm — but in most of his other roles he has utilised a four man defense. The latter approach might enable him to hand a debut to Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly in the left back position that has been rather a problem for England in recent years. With Harry Kane primed to start up front as captain there will also be a fierce battle for the spots behind him. Jude Bellingham seems a lock but in the absence of Palmer and Saka, the likes of Anthony Gordon, Phil Foden and perhaps even Marcus Rashford will hope to stake a claim.
Possible England XI: Pickford; James, Guehi, Colwill, Lewis-Skelly; Jones, Rice, Bellingham; Foden, Kane, Gordon
Albania: Empoli defender Adrian Ismajli is the most significant fitness doubt for Albania, who will welcome Armando Broja back to the side after an Achilles issue that has sidelined the Slough-born striker from the international setup since Euro 2024.Â
Possible Albania XI:Â Strakosha; Balliu, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Mihaj; Asllani, Ramadani, Laci; Asani, Broja, Muci
Prediction
Albania have proven themselves to be a hard out for many of Europe’s top sides but England should have the firepower to get the job done. PICK: England 2, Albania 0
