England XI vs Wales: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for friendly today | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel to select new captain for Wembley friendly with Harry Kane sidelined

Harry Kane will be absent when England meet Wales in a friendly clash at Wembley tonight.

The Three Lions skipper picked up a knock playing for Bayern Munich at the weekend and did not train at St George’s Park on Wednesday, instead working indoors alongside Jarell Quansah, who also looks to be unavailable.

England boss Thomas Tuchel confirmed on Wednesday evening that he is “convinced” Kane will return for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier in Latvia, but that he will miss the Wales game. He said Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice or John Stones would captain the team in Kane’s absence.

There will therefore be a chance to impress up front for Ollie Watkins, Marcus Rashford or Jarrod Bowen. Marc Guehi spoke to the media in the pre-match press conference on Wednesday evening so will start in defence.

Tuchel has named a very similar squad to that which contested last month’s World Cup qualifiers, with only injury-enforced changes made following the 2-0 home defeat of Andorra and 5-0 demolition of Serbia in Belgrade.

Chelsea captain Reece James was initially named in the squad last Friday but has since dropped out as a precaution. He was replaced by 20-year-old Manchester City left-back Nico O’Reilly, handed his first senior international call-up.

Bukayo Saka has returned to the England fold after injury, but his Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke is now sidelined. Also unavailable due to injury issues are Cole Palmer, Tino Livramento, Levi Colwill and Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Tuchel must decide in which of the two matches this month he wishes to name a more experimental lineup. While the Wales game is only a friendly, Craig Bellamy’s men will likely represent a sterner challenge than Latvia.

The uncapped trio of O’Reilly, Quansah and goalkeeper James Trafford will all be hoping to be earn their senior international debuts. AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek would earn his first cap since 2018 if called upon for either game.

Tottenham’s Djed Spence, who made his England debut last month, is the only recognised right-back in the squad, but Quansah and Ezri Konsa can both deputise there if needed.

Predicted England XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Spence, Stones, Guehi, Lewis-Skelly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Rogers, Gordon; Rashford

Injured: Kane, Quansah, Palmer, James, Madueke, Alexander-Arnold, Colwill, Livramento

How to watch: ITV