Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first game as England manger vs Albania
Kyle Walker is expected to start but one Three Lions regular is set to be benched
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By YASEEN ZAMAN
Published: 09:24 EDT, 21 March 2025 | Updated: 10:22 EDT, 21 March 2025
Thomas Tuchel is set to take charge of his first game as England boss on Friday night in the Three Lions' opening World Cup qualification game against Albania at Wembley.
On Friday morning, it was reported that Morgan Gibbs-White, Jarell Quansah and Aaron Ramsdale had been omitted from Tuchel's inaugural matchday squad.
Now, it is believed that the ex-Chelsea manager is set to re-insert Kyle Walker in the starting XI, as per Telegraph Sport, after the AC Milan right back was usurped by Trent Alexander-Arnold during Lee Carsley's tenure as interim boss.
Alexander-Arnold is unavailable for selection following an ankle injury he suffered during Liverpool's penalty shootout defeat by PSG before the international break.
Walker beats out Newcastle's Tino Livramento and Chelsea's Reece James for the starting right back spot, as the ex Man City defender closes in on 100 senior caps for his nation, currently sitting at 93.
Marc Guehi, who was a regular starter at Euro 2024, is expected to be relegated to the bench, as per the BBC.
Thomas Tuchel will take charge of his first game as England boss against Albania on Friday
Kyle Walker is expected to return to the starting XI over Tino Livramento and Reece James
Crystal Palace centre back Marc Guehi is set to be dropped from his regular starting role
Guehi started all but one game for England during last summer's tournament, only being benched for the Three Lions' penalty shootout win over Switzerland in the quarter-final.
However, on Friday, Tuchel is expected to prefer Levi Colwill and Ezri Konsa over the Crystal Palace centre back.
On Thursday, ahead of what fans hope will be the start of a successful reign, Tuchel delivered a damning assessment of England's style under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024.
Listing the ingredients missing, Tuchel said: 'The identity, the clarity, the rhythm, the repetition of patterns, the freedom of player, the expression of player, the hunger. They were more afraid to drop out of the tournament in my observation than having the excitement and hunger to win.'
On what he wants from England instead, as they face Albania on Friday night and Latvia on Monday, Tuchel said: 'I want that when the opponents come out and see our team lined up in the tunnel that they know, oofff, this is going to be tough, they will give us a hard time, these guys are individually good, they play in the best clubs but, oofff, these guys, they seem to be close friends, they seem to be ready to die for each other, this is going to be a tough time.
'You can be sure that if I say something in a press conference, I have addressed it to the players. The players know my assessment (of Euro 2024) but it's not even addressed backwards.
'It's addressed "what I want now". The message is up front. I felt they were holding back - the group did not play with enough excitement and togetherness to make it happen.'
England enter this year's World Cup qualification phase ranked as the No 4 team in the world by FIFA.
Tuchel is also expected to drop Morgan Gibbs-White, Jarell Quansah and Aaron Ramsdale
Joining Tuchel's side in Group K are Albania, Andorra, Latvia and Serbia.
The winner of the group will secure automatic qualification to the 2026 World Cup in North America, while second place will have to go through another qualifying phase; the bottom four teams come up empty.
Should England fall to Albania on Friday, Tuchel would become only the second permanent boss to lose his first game in the dugout. In fact, not only have England's last 10 permanent bosses avoided defeat but all have won their first matches in charge.
The run goes back to Graham Taylor in 1990, when his side ran out 1-0 victors over Hungary at Wembley.