England brace up for crucial UEFA Nations League fixtures amid severe injury crisis
Injury-hit England embark on the final push to regain a top-flight status in the UEFA Nations League.
It’s crunch time in Group B2, with the Three Lions trailing table-topping Greece by two points following a 2-1 defeat at Wembley Stadium last month.
Lee Carsley’s side quickly regrouped after that heartbreak, getting their quest to return to League A back on track with a comfortable 3-1 win at Finland.
However, they’re tittering on the brink of disaster after losing as many as eight first-team stars in the build-up to a ‘make or break’ trip to the Olympic Stadium of Athens.
According to Daily Express, Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice headline the list of numerous high-profile absences.
The list also features Cole Palmer and Jack Grealish.
England’s next two games will be Carsley’s last in the post as he makes way for the incoming Thomas Tuchel.
While The Telegraph takes stock of Tuchel’s decision to assume the reigns in 2025 – three months after signing the contract – the beaten Euro 2024 finalists brace themselves for a crucial juncture.
Whittled down to bare bones, England head to Athens, knowing anything other than three points would condemn them to a runner-up finish.
Greece vs England – Thursday, November 14
History beckons for Greece as they could secure their maiden League A promotion in their debut appearance in the second tier.
Ivan Jovanovic’s men have been flawless in Group B2, winning all four matches by an aggregate score of 9-1.
Greece can draw further confidence from their exceptional home record in the Nations League.
They have registered a clean sheet in nine of their 11 home outings in this competition, hence a formidable haul of eight wins and just one defeat.
When factoring in the Greeks’ outstanding defensive quality, England’s threadbare squad will likely need to go to great lengths to avenge a Wembley fiasco.
Despite facing a selection nightmare, Carsley can’t afford a slip-up in southern Europe, considering it would be a damning indictment of his managerial credentials.
The 50-year-old manager has overseen back-to-back two-goal margin away wins during his interim tenure, which bodes well as he endeavours to conquer Athens.
A failed attempt to beat Greece by a multi-goal margin would likely result in a promotion play-off, with England boasting a considerable six-point lead on third-placed Ireland.
England vs Ireland – Sunday, November 17
One of Carsley’s two away wins in charge came against Ireland on his touchline debut in September.
However, Rice and Grealish, who inspired England to a landslide victory in Dublin, are no longer at his disposal.
That result is one of Ireland’s three identical 2-0 losses in Group B2, with a 2-1 away win against Finland remaining the only bright spot in an otherwise disastrous Nations League campaign.
Despite taking charge of the national team in July, Heimir Hallgrímsson is already under scrutiny.
Ireland’s form has fallen off the cliff since they qualified for Euro 2016.
They’ve since failed to reach any major international tournament.
By the looks of things, Hallgrímsson’s appointment has failed to flip the script.
Given the significant gulf in class and Ireland’s ominous three-game scoreless run against England, this should be a walk in the park.
Prediction
As aforementioned, Greece’s defensive resilience on home soil has been off the charts.
With England lacking several vital attacking components, penetrating such an organised backline could be a huge ask.
However, Carsley has nothing to lose and everything to gain as he aims to ride off into the sunset.
As for the Ireland game, England should have three points in the bag every day of the week.
Up the creek without a paddle, Hallgrímsson’s men can hardly do any harm to the Three Lions at Wembley.
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