close
close

England vs Greece LIVE: Nations League team news and lineups as Palmer and Bellingham both start

England vs Greece LIVE: Nations League team news and lineups as Palmer and Bellingham both start

Carsley says England doesn't give preference to players from big clubs

England host Greece in the Nations League as both teams look to remain unbeaten in this top-flight clash at Wembley.

Lee Carsley's reign got off to a perfect start with wins over the Republic of Ireland and Finland in September internationals. Harry Kane scored twice against the latter in his 100th appearance for the national team but is doubtful for this game after training outside the squad earlier in the week.

England have also been boosted by the returns of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, which will have the manager thinking about how they all fit into the lineup.

Greece also won both Nations League games against the same opponent, but are better than the Three Lions with five goals in these two games. This game represents the biggest test of the Carsley era so far, but should England pull it off they would be favorites to win promotion back to League A.

Follow all the Nations League action in our live blog below:

England against Greece

The Three Lions have played against Greece nine times, recording seven wins, two draws and no losses.

Their last meeting ended on August 16, 2006 with England winning 4-0. It was a clash at Old Trafford against Otto Rehhagel's reigning European champions that ended in a convincing win for Three Lions manager Steve McClaren in his first game in charge.

Goals were scored by John Terry, Frank Lampard and a brace from Peter Crouch.

Mike JonesOctober 10, 2024 7:05 p.m

Jack Grealish talks Euro 2024 snub and how things are changing under Lee Carsley

Grealish was “absolutely heartbroken” when he was left out of the extended pre-tournament selection and Southgate’s decision still remains uncertain.

Mike JonesOctober 10, 2024 7:00 p.m

Kudos to Palmer

As part of his pre-match media duties, John Stones suggested he would ask Cole Palmer not to leave Man City, but he is still excited about his promotion at Stamford Bridge.

“I was a big fan of Cole as soon as he came into our first team, what he brought to the game, how he played like he was on the park,” he said.

“I was sad to see him go, I brought it to his attention, but what he did is a credit to him, the way he conducted himself, the way he stood out in big moments.”

“He is in good shape and I hope it stays that way for as long as possible. When he scored in the final, he has now had big games and big moments and hopefully there will be more of them.”

Mike JonesOctober 10, 2024 6:55 p.m

And the Greek lineup looks like this:

Vlachodimos, Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Giannoulis, Kourbelis, Bakasetas, Siopis, Masouras, Tzolis, Pavlidis

Karl MatchettOctober 10, 2024 6:53 p.m

Confirmed team news

Here is the line-up for England:

Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Colwill, Lewis, Rice, Foden, Palmer, Saka, Bellingham, Gordon

Karl MatchettOctober 10, 2024 6:48 p.m

Points of discussion between England and Greece

Greece wants to continue its winning streak

Greece come to Wembley as leaders of Group 2 of League B after wins in their first two games against Finland and the Republic of Ireland.

They are ahead of England in goals scored, so this game could go a long way in deciding who advances to League A as group winners.

Greece is playing well but has not played in a major tournament since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. They last played England in an international friendly in 2006, when they lost 4-0 at Old Trafford.

Mike JonesOctober 10, 2024 6:40 p.m

Points of discussion between England and Greece

With Cole Palmer currently one of the hottest teams in the Premier League, it's strange to think that he hasn't yet played a competitive game for his country.

This statistic did not stop him from being named England's Player of the Year for 2023/24. Given his form for Chelsea, Carsley will certainly select him in his starting XI against Greece.

The interim coach has hinted that Palmer, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden are unlikely to all start together this international break. Therefore, it will be interesting to see what position Palmer could end up in.

Mike JonesOctober 10, 2024 6:36 p.m

Points of discussion between England and Greece

Carsley should consolidate his position?

Lee Carsley has always maintained that he is on a three-camp mission following his appointment as interim boss following the departure of Gareth Southgate.

But the former U21 coach is starting to find his feet and has the opportunity to further increase his chances of securing a permanent position.

He said he felt at home in the Wembley side during the win over Finland last month and if his side put in another impressive attacking performance against Greece he could gain further support for the future.

Mike JonesOctober 10, 2024 6:30 p.m

Points of discussion between England and Greece

If Harry Kane isn't fit, that could open the door for Dominic Solanke. The Tottenham striker is back in the England squad for the first time since 2017, when he made a 15-minute cameo as a substitute in a friendly against Brazil at Wembley.

Despite a seven-year exile, he always believed he could get back to the top and had his debut jersey hung on his wall at home to use it as motivation.

If Kane doesn't make it, he will likely be competing with Ollie Watkins for a starting spot.

Mike JonesOctober 10, 2024 6:24 p.m

Points of discussion between England and Greece

There are major doubts over captain Harry Kane's fitness after he suffered an injury at Bayern Munich at the weekend.

The striker suffered a stroke against Eintracht Frankfurt but was declared fit by England's medical staff on Monday.

However, he trained individually on Tuesday and given the tight turnarounds, it remains to be seen whether the country's record goalscorer will be fit.

Lee Carsley confirmed that he will not start, but a substitute appearance cannot be ruled out.

Mike JonesOctober 10, 2024 6:18 p.m

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *