Thomas Tuchel is expected to make several changes to his England side as they prepare to face Croatia in Rijeka on Saturday, with Jordan Pickford poised to return in goal after James Trafford started the opening two matches of the international break.
The switch between the posts had reportedly been agreed with both goalkeepers in advance of the victory over Spain, meaning Pickford's recall will not come as a surprise within the camp. Tuchel is due to address the media in full at 1:30pm BST on Friday, when he will give an update on the fitness and availability of his squad ahead of kick-off.
England's preparations have been complicated slightly by the departure of Nico O'Reilly, who has left the squad and will take no further part in the remaining fixtures this window. The FA confirmed on Thursday that the 21-year-old had gone back to Manchester City for further assessment and would miss both the trip to Rijeka and the return meeting with the Czech Republic at Wembley next Tuesday. With no replacement called up in his place, Newcastle United full-back Lewis Hall looks increasingly likely to continue at left-back, having made just his second senior appearance for England in the previous match in Prague.
At the other side of the defence, Tuchel has options, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jarell Quansah both in contention to fill the right-back role. In midfield, Elliot Anderson could be given a breather at some stage across the two fixtures after already clocking up 160 minutes of action during the first two Nations League games, not accounting for stoppage time.
There is a sense that Tuchel may opt to field his strongest available group against Croatia given the stature of the opposition, before potentially rotating more heavily for the subsequent clash with the Czechs. Several high-profile names were left out of the squad altogether before the opening game against Spain, including Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento.
Based on current indications, England could line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation: Pickford in goal; Alexander-Arnold, Ezri Konsa, Jarrad Branthwaite and Hall across the back four; Anderson and Alex Scott anchoring midfield; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon supporting Harry Kane up front.
The match in Rijeka is scheduled to kick off at 5pm BST on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Stadion HNK Rijeka, with live coverage set to be broadcast on ITV.
Tuchel's side will be looking to build on their recent form in the Nations League as they continue their preparations for the tournament ahead, with squad depth and fitness management clearly a priority during this busy run of fixtures. The head coach's comments on Friday are expected to shed further light on his selection thinking, particularly regarding the right-back position and any further rotation plans before the two matches conclude the current international break.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.