Analysis
England squad: Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions selections analysed as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer return after World Cup
Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Morgan Gibbs-White, Kobbie Mainoo and Phil Foden feature among our England squad talking points after Thomas Tuchel made eight changes from the group he took to the World Cup for the upcoming Nations League games
Friday 18 September 2026 16:02, UK
Where does Palmer fit?
Cole Palmer's form at the start of this season for Chelsea has been irresistible. Four goals and two assists in six games, and his link-up play with England team-mate Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro has been sensational to watch.
"Cole has his numbers back," said Thomas Tuchel at his press conference. "Assists, decisive goals. I think he has a point to prove."
The England boss really had no choice but to recall him after leaving Palmer out of his World Cup squad.
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The omission may have ultimately helped Palmer, who was hit by injury and looked a shadow of himself last season following the previous summer's Club World Cup. Rested, refreshed and back towards his best.
Could even a below-par Palmer have helped England in North America? There will be many that will argue his case.
But the question now is how and where does Tuchel use Palmer going forwards?
Jude Bellingham locked down the No 10 role at the World Cup. The Real Madrid ace was one of the tournament's stars. Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka is back fit and firing for Arsenal on the right. Anthony Gordon is excelling at Barcelona on the left wing after impressing there for England in the summer.
Rogers, too, has been a key figure for Tuchel. Finding a way to get the two Chelsea attackers together on the pitch will be an exciting challenge for the England boss, who has an abundance of attacking options.
Peter Smith
Tuchel promises Mainoo minutes
Kobbie Mainoo's inclusion comes after he was the only outfield player not to play a single minute during England's World Cup campaign. This time, Tuchel promises it will be different for the Manchester United midfielder, who has started the season strongly.
"I expect him to be on the pitch and it's my duty to get him on the pitch," said the England boss. "That was totally on me. He didn't put a foot wrong during the World Cup.
"He was class in behaviour on the training pitch. There was big competition; we played Reece (James) in central midfield also. Elliot Anderson is amazing for us; Declan Rice is a very unique player.
"We trusted them more than we trusted Kobbie. It was difficult for him. It was on me."
The competition for places in England's midfield remains fierce. But clearly Mainoo is a part of Tuchel's plans and there are no hard feelings. The nature of the camp, spanning three weeks and including four fixtures, should allow him chances to prove his worth.
Nick Wright
Trent's shock selection
It should not be a shock to see an Englishman playing for Real Madrid selected in the England squad but Trent Alexander-Arnold's selection is exactly that.
This marks a massive shift from Tuchel, who previously said Alexander-Arnold was not the profile of right-back he wanted in his side and repeatedly declined to select the former Liverpool star - even when Tino Livramento suffered a pre-World Cup injury and Tuchel had the opportunity to call up a replacement.
Questions over why Tuchel overlooked the technical 27-year-old reoccurred when the England boss questioned the natural ability of Three Lions players to be able to retain the ball and control games under pressure.
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Alexander-Arnold had not been in an England squad since the summer of 2025 so what has changed?
"He was never non-selectable," said Tuchel when asked about Alexander-Arnold. "Now is his chance to show, come to camp, be the best version of himself. He comes as a right-back for us."
His performances for Real Madrid this season did not shift the needle alone.
He has one assist from five appearances and his deployment in midfield for the Champions League win over Inter Milan was a reminder of the continuing conundrum managers are having in getting the most out of Alexander-Arnold's potential.
Real boss Jose Mourinho used Alexander-Arnold in central midfield due to injuries and applauded his application - but also noted how he had lost possession and noted the physical challenge of the role.
Last season, Alexander-Arnold was battling with Dani Carvajal for the right-back spot at Real Madrid. This season it is summer signing Denzel Dumfries challenging him for the place.
The brilliant on-the-ball ability remains but defensive concerns continue. How Tuchel uses Alexander-Arnold - and what this change of stance means longer term - will be an intriguing narrative through the international break.
Peter Smith
If England cannot control games, why not 'embrace the chaos'?
Tuchel was critical of England's 'DNA' after the loss to Argentina, suggesting the players were unable to control high-pressure matches with possession in the way a team like Spain can.
The return of technical players Palmer and Alexander-Arnold to his squad seemed to be an admission he had left some of the best English players at looking after the ball out of the group. But in his press conference on Friday Tuchel hinted that perhaps it is better for England to go the other way - and "embrace the chaos".
"The more I reflect on it [the Argentina loss], it's more buying into our strengths and playing more like in the second half against Croatia, or first half against France," said Tuchel. "We get a lot of value out of it [this style]. This is what the Premier League reflects.
"Football is about adapting to situations, and football without any control is sometimes hard to digest for a coach. If you look at the 6-4 against France, people talk about it like it's one of their nicest experiences ever to watch a football match.
"Maybe I have to compromise in my wish for control - maybe we need more chaos, to embrace the chaos. Maybe it brings out the best.
"We will adjust our style but always to put the strengths of the players on the first priority."
Peter Smith
Gibbs-White crowded out in No 10 battle
Morgan Gibbs-White can feel justifiably aggrieved by his omission. The 26-year-old was outstanding last season for Nottingham Forest, racking up 15 Premier League goals and registering four assists. He has continued in the same vein this term.
Gibbs-White continues to face intense competition for places in the No 10 position. Palmer has been recalled to a squad which already features Bellingham, Rogers and Eberechi Eze. Tuchel says the numbers do not add up.
"He was close but it's always the same," he said. "It makes no sense to choose three, four or five No 10s. It just doesn't help anyone. We can see the form that Morgan is in. He ended the season strongly and was the key player for Forest to not be relegated."
Gibbs-White might wonder why Eze was preferred. The Arsenal man has not started a Premier League game this season and produced roughly half as many Premier League goal involvements as Gibbs-White last term. But all Gibbs-White can do is keep pushing, and be ready if the recalled Palmer does not deliver.
"It's one thing to be chosen, like Cole, and get your ticket back to the squad, but it's another thing to perform for England," added Tuchel. "Cole, especially, needs to step up when he comes and show these kinds of numbers and performances to get his place, keep his shirt and justify the nomination."
Nick Wright
Foden's England future in doubt?
Gibbs-White is not the only No 10 to have been crowded out. Phil Foden is also on the outside looking in having been overlooked for Tuchel's World Cup squad too.
The Manchester City star was included in Tuchel's squads in March of this year and November of 2025, but this omission comes after an encouraging start to the season was interrupted by his red card in last weekend's Manchester derby.
Foden now faces an almighty battle, in an area of the pitch in which England are well stocked, to win Tuchel over and earn a place back in his plans. His latest omission, as Tuchel returns to other technicians such as Alexander-Arnold, will feel painful.
Nick Wright
Is Tuchel embracing England's next generation?
The England manager has pivoted from the experienced squad he selected for the World Cup and made a marked effort to give chances to a plethora of young talent in his latest camp.
Veteran England presences like Jordan Henderson, Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins have been omitted, leaving room for the inclusion of Myles Lewis-Skelly, Alex Scott and Rio Ngumoha - all of whom are under the age of 23, with the latter having turned 18 less than a month ago.
Ngumoha's inclusion is without doubt the most eye-catching.
The teenage sensation travelled with England's squad to Florida for their pre-tournament training camp and has appeared in five of Liverpool's six games to start the season, impressing enough to be called up even without recording a goal contribution thus far this campaign.
Perhaps easier choices were that of Lewis-Skelly and Scott in the midfield. The former has excelled for unbeaten league leaders Arsenal, recording two assists from deep-lying midfield and keeping £75m summer signing Bruno Guimaraes out of the champions' starting line-up.
Scott has continued to build on an impressive 2025/26 campaign in which he represented arguably the key component in a Bournemouth side that qualified for European football for the first time. Those performances - alongside earning him his place - meant he was linked to high-profile suitors like Chelsea and Manchester United throughout the summer.
"We had three players in prep camp with us [before the World Cup], Alex Scott, Rio Ngumoha and Josh [King], all three of them were fantastic members of the squad," Tuchel said.
"Not only because they were nice and reliable and excellent characters, but they showed the quality, courage and curiosity on the pitch, which was very nice to see."
Whether Tuchel ushers in new tactics remains to be seen - but his first England squad since the World Cup has shown a willingness to at least include new players.
Noah Langford
England squad in full...
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion), James Trafford (Leeds United)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Trevoh Chalobah (Como), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarrell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Alex Scott (AFC Bournemouth)
Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
England's Nations League fixtures...
Saturday September 26: Spain (H), kick-off 7.45pm
Tuesday September 29: Czech Republic (A), kick-off 7.45pm
Saturday October 3: Croatia (A), kick-off 5pm
Tuesday October 6: Czech Republic (H), kick-off 7.45pm
