England XI vs Albania: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Thomas Tuchel's first game

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Evening Standard

·20 March 2025

England XI vs Albania: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Thomas Tuchel's first game

The Thomas Tuchel era begins on Friday as England host Albania in a World Cup qualifier

Thomas Tuchel is preparing to take charge of England for the first time

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Thomas Tuchel will name the first line-up of his England reign as the Three Lions welcome Albania to Wembley on Friday night.

Tuchel sprung a number of surprises when naming his first squad last week, most notably in handing Jordan Henderson a recall.

Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn are the two new call-ups hoping to make their respective debuts, with the former perhaps more likely to get the nod at left-back given both Luke Shaw and Lewis Hall are absent through injury.

Reece James is hoping to win his first cap in two years, having been immediately recalled by Tuchel, under whom he won the Champions League at Chelsea.

John Stones is another Gareth Southgate regular who misses this first squad through injury, meaning their is an opening at centre-half alongside Marc Guehi, while the identity of Declan Rice’s midfield partner will again be the subject of much intrigue following Conor Gallagher’s omission and Henderson’s return.

Of the squad Tuchel initially named last week, only Cole Palmer is missing, with the playmaker having picked up a minor injury ahead of Chelsea’s defeat to Arsenal last weekend. Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White was the beneficiary, earning a late call-up in Palmer’s place.

The squeeze on attacking positions behind captain Harry Kane is also eased by the absence of Bukayo Saka, a Southgate favourite who is still on his way back from a hamstring injury.