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Thomas Tuchel has named a strong England team to take on Serbia at Wembley, with Jude Bellingham left out of the starting XI and Harry Kane leading the line.
Bellingham was recalled to the squad for the current international break, but had to settle for a place on the bench with Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers again preferred in the No. 10 role by Tuchel.
Rogers will start behind captain Kane, who has netted 23 times in 17 games for his club, Bayern Munich, in Germany this season.
Flanking Kane will be Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford, with Anthony Gordon of Newcastle withdrawing through injury after picking up a hip issue.
In midfield, Tuchel has continued with his first-choice pivot, with Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson starting again. The German said of Anderson in the build-up to the game: ‘Anderson is a key player for us at the moment. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League – that’s why he is with us and starting for us.
‘He deserves it because he has been nothing but impressive. He has to keep going now though. He is a very complete and mobile midfielder, and that’s what he keeps showing me.’
England have named a strong team to face Serbia, with Morgan Rogers (right) preferred to Jude Bellingham (left)
Manchester City’s Phil Foden (left) has also been named on the bench, with Nico O’Reilly (right) handed a start
It means Adam Wharton has also been made to settle for a place among the substitutes, alongside the likes of Jordan Henderson, Eberechi Eze and Phil Foden.
Tuchel admitted this week that Foden, Bellingham and Kane cannot all play together, but, after revealing Bellingham is in direct competition with Rogers, hailed Foden’s versatility, noting that he can play either in the No 10 role or up front.
The England boss said: ‘At the moment, if we keep the structure, they cannot play. They can, but not in the structure, not for the balance that we developed. Not for the structure that also comes with wingers who are like specialists in their positions.
There is a lot of congruence, especially in the No. 10 position, if you think about Phil can play there, you think about Jude, you think about Morgan Rogers, who played fantastic for us in this position. You have Cole Palmer, you have Morgan Gibbs-White, so there is a lot of players and there is a chance that we will not take everyone. ‘
In defense, Reece James will continue at right back, with Nico O’Reilly on the other side, making his debut. Ezri Konsa and John Stones are the chosen center back pairing, with Marc Guehi left out of the 22-man squad – alongside Bournemouth’s Alex Scott – following his own injury.
Jordan Pickford will again start in goal as he looks to extend his record of the most clean sheets in a row by an England goalkeeper – currently at nine.
Jed Spence will be joined on the bench by the likes of Dan Burn and Jarell Quansah from Tuchel’s defensive options.
