While England are yet to get over the line on the grandest stage, they have been proficient qualifiers for major tournaments since missing out on Euro 2008.
The Three Lions have turned to Thomas Tuchel in a bid to get them over the hump in North America next summer, and they’ll be all but confirmed as one of the 48 participants should they secure a result in Belgrade on Tuesday night.
It’s been a pretty mundane start to Tuchel’s tenure, and the upcoming clash against Serbia is projected to be a gritty physical duel decided by the finest of margins.
Here’s how England could line up for their toughest test of World Cup qualifying, having started with four wins from four.
England Predicted Lineup vs. Serbia (4-2-3-1)
GK: Jordan Pickford—England’s No. 1 will not be relinquishing his place anytime soon, and he‘ll surely be in for a considerably busier outing on Tuesday night compared to Saturday.
RB: Reece James—Tuchel may retain the experience of James at right-back over the dynamic Tino Livramento and international novice Djed Spence, both of whom are equally adept off the left.
CB: Marc Guéhi—The Crystal Palace defender has been in action for the first time since his proposed Deadline Day move to Liverpool fell through. Tuchel is set to opt for continuity in defence.
CB: Dan Burn—Burn, to the surprise of some, has not proven to be a one-cap wonder. He may well be vying for a spot on the plane next summer. His physical presence will be handy from set-pieces on Tuesday, and Serbia are set to deploy a pair of target men up top.
LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly—The England boss is a huge fan of the Arsenal teenager, and Lewis-Skelly will likely start down the left again despite his quiet opening to the new Premier League season.
CM: Elliot Anderson—Anderson was "very good" on his England bow, according to the manager, and could emerge as a potential solution in a deep-lying midfield position.
CM: Declan Rice—The Arsenal midfielder was on the scoresheet at the weekend and is one of the linchpins in this England team.
RW: Noni Madueke—Madueke certainly wasn’t perfect at Villa Park, but he was England’s brightest spark. The winger’s directness and willingness to take on his man may convince Tuchel to retain him down the right over Jarrod Bowen.
AM: Morgan Gibbs-White—Eberechi Eze will likely be replaced, but which Morgan will the manager opt for? Rogers took to the field on Saturday, but Gibbs-White is an equally handy operator. Tuchel may prefer his capacity to drop in and aid the build-up.
LW: Anthony Gordon—Marcus Rashford was among those who struggled at the weekend, so this looks like an obvious change.
ST: Harry Kane—England’s all-time record goalscorer curiously played 90 minutes on Saturday, although the contest probably didn’t take too much out of him. He’s a sure bet to remain in the team here against a Serbia backline that marshalled him well at Euro 2024.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as England Predicted Lineup vs. Serbia: 2026 World Cup Qualifier.