New England manager Lee Carsley will reveal his first starting line-up this Saturday when the Three Lions travel to Ireland for the UEFA Nations League.The former Under-21 manager has replaced Gareth Southgate for the time being and is making his first in-form test against old opposition in Dublin. The Euro 2024 finalists will compete in League B of the Nations League after being relegated from League A in the 2022/23 edition of Europe’s newest international competition.
Carsley have made some interesting decisions in their first team, with a number of uncapped players set to get their first minutes for the senior team. It will be interesting to see how much the former Everton midfielder relies on Southgate’s favourites.Here’s how England could line up at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday.
England predicted lineup vs Ireland (4-2-3-1)
GK: Jordan Pickford – The Everton goalkeeper has always been Southgate’s first choice and that is unlikely to change under new management. He earned his place as the top player in the country between the pipes.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – In the absence of Kyle Walker and Reece James, Alexander-Arnold should line up ahead of Tino Livramento and Rico Lewis. Carsley has already revealed that it is in the right that he intends to use the Liverpool master.
CB: John Stones – The Manchester City defender has been one of England’s most important players at Euro 2024 and remains the Three Lions’ best centre-back when fully fit.
CB: Marc Guehi – Harry Maguire’s return to the team threatens Guehi’s place, but the Crystal Palace man has been so impressive at Euro 2024 that he surely has enough credit in the bank to start this weekend.
LB: Levi Colwill – With Luke Shaw injured and Ben Chilwell exiled to Chelsea, Blues defender Colwill may need to slot in on the left wing. Despite being a centre-back by trade, the young defender, who shone for Carsley en route to England Under-21 victory at Euro 2023, is comfortable on the left-hand side.
DM: Kobbie Mainoo – The future of the English midfielder is bright and one of the main reasons is Mainoo. The poised and mature teenager has been key for Euro 2024 and should be Declan Rice’s midfield partner.
DM: Declan Rice – Omnipresent for Southgate’s England, will probably be the same for Carsley’s England. He remains the main defensive presence of the Three Lions in the center of the field.
AD: Bukayo Saka – Twice voted England’s Player of the Year, no one has been able to replace Arsenal’s extraordinary striker on the right of a fearsome forward line.
AM: Eberechi Eze – With Jude Bellingham injured and Cole Palmer and Phil Foden out of the squad, Eze is fit to start this weekend as a number 10. It’s a role he’s thrived in at Selhurst Park.
LW: Jack Grealish – The Manchester City man missed the summer trip to Germany but is back in the squad for September. He certainly offers England something unique with his dribbling ability.
ST: Harry Kane – The England captain has faced a lot of criticism during Euro 2024 but remains essential for his country. The nation’s leading goalscorer will want to take advantage of any indecisiveness in the Irish defense in Dublin to add to his tally.
