England supervisor Thomas Tuchel has known as Elliot Anderson “very, excellent” on the 22-year-old’s senior worldwide debut – however criticised Eberechi Eze, Marcus Rashford and Noni Madueke after the Three Lions laboured to a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday.
Dealing with opponents with out a level and 170 locations under them in Fifa’s rankings, England took a Twenty fifth-minute lead courtesy of Christian Garcia’s personal aim from Madueke’s cross and scored once more by Declan Rice’s header with 23 minutes remaining.
“[Anderson] was a bit nervous in the beginning of the coaching week after which he did good and we mentioned ‘let’s strive it’,” mirrored Tuchel, who gave the Nottingham Forest midfielder his first call-up for the qualifiers towards the minnows and away to Serbia on Tuesday.
“That was the take a look at and he handed the take a look at, so there’s no cause why he shouldn’t play in Serbia. If we determine to have the place for him, he’s prepared.”
The impasse is damaged! ✅
Noni Madueke’s cross is inadvertedly turned in by Christian García and England lead 🏴 pic.twitter.com/vsyexLKJ1s
— ITV Soccer (@itvfootball) September 6, 2025
England World Cup qualifiers: Tuchel needs extra
Tuchel sounded much less impressed with forwards Eze, Rashford and Madueke. “Ebs had perhaps not his absolute best day within the quantity 10 place,” the German informed ITV Soccer after overseeing his fifth recreation in cost.
“He educated so nicely [but] struggled a bit with the choice making. The final go, the final determination from Noni was not scientific sufficient.
“Generally [Madueke] has a little bit of a scarcity of focus and falls asleep in counter-pressing, but when we push him – if he pushes himself – he generally is a crucial participant. Bukayo [Saka] is injured, so he steps up and that’s what he must do.
“Marcus Rashford had some good moments however couldn’t end them with a scientific help. It’s stuff that may occur towards [opponents playing] 5-4-1.”
The 52-year-old was glad with components of his crew’s efficiency, including that he has discovered “rather a lot” about his squad and predicting they’ll “show some extent” in Belgrade, the place they’ll defend an ideal defensive document towards a facet 5 factors behind them with a recreation in hand.
Declan Rice will get his sixth England aim however what a ball from Reece James 😮💨⚽️ pic.twitter.com/KApmTuxfDm
— ITV Soccer (@itvfootball) September 6, 2025
England crew vs Andorra
Rashford, Eze and Madueke supported Harry Kane in assault, with Marc Guehi and Dan Burn in central defence and Reece James and Myles Lewis-Skelly as full-backs.
Tottenham full-back Djed Spence – one other newcomer – was on the bench, as had been Aston Villa trio Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins.
Actual Madrid ahead Jude Bellingham missed out following shoulder surgical procedure and Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton withdrew with an adductor concern.
Manchester Metropolis defender John Stones additionally pulled out with a muscle damage and midfielder Cole Palmer didn’t get well in time from a groin drawback.
England beginning XI: Jordan Pickford, Reece James, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford,
England substitutes: James Trafford, Dean Henderson, Ezri Konsa, Anthony Gordon, Jordan Henderson, Djed Spence, Morgan Rogers, Tino Livramento, Morgan Gibbs-White, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen
Full England squad for September 2025 World Cup qualifiers
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford
Defenders: Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Tino Livramento, Djed Spence, John Stones*
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Adam Wharton*
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins
* Withdrew by damage. Wharton changed by Ruben Loftus-Cheek
England World Cup qualifiers: What group are they in?
England’s opponents are Albania, Latvia, Andorra and Serbia. Of these opponents, Serbia’s standing of 32 at first of qualifying made them by far the highest-ranked crew Tuchel’s facet will face.
Serbia proved difficult opponents at Euro 2024, with solely a Jude Bellingham aim separating the groups of their opener in Germany.
Together with video games as Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro, Dragan Stojkovic’s nation have misplaced their final 5 conferences with England, though they held a powerful document of 1 defeat of their final 21 World Cup qualifying matches earlier than the group started, profitable 14 and drawing six.
⏪ Again in November 2021…
🏴5️⃣-0️⃣🇦🇱 pic.twitter.com/JfIJQD39r0
— England (@England) March 21, 2025
Latvia are ranked 137th and have by no means performed England earlier than, whereas Andorra are 174th and have misplaced all seven of the encounters between the international locations by an mixture rating of 26-0, though solely a Harry Kane aim separated the edges throughout the present marketing campaign.
Ben Chilwell, Bukayo Saka, Tammy Abraham, James Ward-Prowse and Jack Grealish scored when England gained 5-0 in Andorra in October 2021.
Albania are ranked 68th and lost 2-0 at Wembley Stadium in Tuchel’s first match in cost and England’s first qualifer on March 21.
They’re one in all 5 nations England have confronted greater than six instances and gained towards each time, alongside Luxembourg (9), San Marino (8), Malta (7) and Andorra (6).
Togetherness and making a bond 🤝 pic.twitter.com/hkQRundhgg
— England (@England) March 21, 2025
England soccer crew World Cup qualifying fixtures
All fixtures begin at 19:45 UK time (14:45 ET / 11:45 PT) until in any other case acknowledged.
Friday, March 21: England 2-0 Albania
Monday, March 24: England 3-0 Latvia
Saturday, June 7: Andorra 0-1 England
Saturday, September 6: England 2-0 Andorra
Tuesday, September 9: Serbia vs England
Tuesday, October 14: Latvia vs England
Thursday, November 13: England vs Serbia
Sunday, November 16: Albania vs England (17:00)
Sound on for this one. 🤩🔊 pic.twitter.com/ozcnaDn58Q
— England (@England) March 19, 2025
England video games: What occurs if Three Lions high group?
The highest crew from every of the 12 European Qualifier teams proceeds robotically to the finals, which might be expanded to 48 groups.
Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, France and Croatia are among the many different favourites to win their teams.
What occurs if England end second in World Cup qualifiers?
England might be eradicated in the event that they end third or under and enter the play-offs between March 26-31 2026 if they arrive second.
The 12 runners-up in every group will be part of 4 Nations League groups within the play-offs, which might be drawn from pots based mostly on groups’ information throughout the marketing campaign. The video games will comprise single-leg semi-finals and finals.
The draw for the World Cup finals will happen in December 2025. The match runs from June 11 till July 19 2026.
