Tuchel faces England squad crisis as Palmer and Rice withdraw

Photos: Thomas Tuchel: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Declan Rice: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Thomas Tuchel’s preparations for his first England games since the World Cup have suffered a major setback after five players, including Cole Palmer and Declan Rice, withdrew from the squad due to injury. Along with the Chelsea and Arsenal stars, Manchester United duo Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford, plus Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento, have all pulled out of the upcoming Nations League fixtures. To fill the void, Tuchel has called up Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White and Everton’s James Garner.

A frustrating setback for Palmer

The withdrawal of Palmer is a particularly bitter blow for Tuchel, who had handed the 24-year-old a high-profile recall on Friday. Palmer missed out on the World Cup squad after his form dipped last term, but he has started this season brilliantly, contributing four goals and two assists in Chelsea’s opening games. Despite playing the full match in Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat against Brentford, Palmer is managing a minor muscle issue. The forward has a history of groin problems, and during a Twitch stream, Palmer explained that he “had one leg for 10 months” during his previous injury-hit campaign.

According to BBC Sport, the England head coach previously remarked that the Chelsea playmaker had a point to prove and needed “to step up” in order to “keep his shirt and justify the nomination”. Instead, Palmer’s wait for an international return goes on, leaving a vacancy in the attacking midfield positions.

Midfield and defensive reshuffle

Arsenal’s Rice is another massive absentee. The midfielder has been carrying a heavy workload, playing 69 matches for club and country last season, whilst managing a hamstring nerve issue that also affected his lower back at the World Cup. Having played 549 minutes for Arsenal already this term, the decision has been made to rest him.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s Mainoo and Rashford both picked up knocks during Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Fulham. Mainoo was substituted late on by manager Michael Carrick, while Rashford left the pitch holding his hip and groin. Livramento completes the list of casualties, having suffered a training setback with a knee injury before Newcastle’s weekend victory over Hull.

Mainoo was a member of the World Cup squad but did not play a single minute under Tuchel, who insisted that the midfielder’s lack of game time was purely due to tactical decisions rather than a reflection on his ability. Tuchel had promised to give Mainoo opportunities over the next fortnight, but that plan has now been shelved. Tuchel has also been a long-term admirer of Rashford, selecting him even during periods of poor form. However, the forward’s opportunities became limited after a disappointing display against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the World Cup last 32, playing only briefly in the later stages of the tournament.

These absences have handed opportunities to Gibbs-White and Garner, who will report to St George’s Park on Tuesday. Gibbs-White has been in fine form for Nottingham Forest, scoring more Premier League goals this calendar year than any other player. Garner, praised by Tuchel for his versatility, returns to the squad after missing out on World Cup selection.

What lies ahead for England

Tuchel’s depleted squad faces a demanding schedule during this extended international break. England host World Cup winners Spain at Wembley on Saturday, 26 September, to kick off their Nations League campaign. They then face consecutive away trips to the Czech Republic on 29 September and Croatia on 3 October, before hosting the Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday, 6 October.