England suffer a triple injury blow ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, with Thomas Tuchel looking to narrow down his squad ahead of the summer's tournament.
Newcastle United duo Nick Pope and Anthony Gordon have withdrawn from the England national team, as has Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, in a blow to Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel.
The third international break of the season will take place over the next two weeks, though it is the final one until March, so the upcoming matches will be key to England's preparation for World Cup 2026.
Tuchel's side have already qualified for the tournament in North America, but they still have to play two qualifying games against Serbia and Albania.
The Three Lions are set to be without several key stars for those two clashes, with Pope suffering a concussion against Brentford on Sunday, while Gordon missed out against the Bees due to a minor injury.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner revealed that centre-back Guehi is dealing with a bone bruise and cannot "even walk", so he is also unavailable, though Tuchel has not yet named replacements.
Should Marc Guehi, Anthony Gordon, Nick Pope start in World Cup?
Marc Guehi has arguably been the best English defender in the league this season, and he has excelled in Palace's back three for some time.
Tuchel has been known to deploy a three-man defence at times, and since the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite and John Stones have struggled with injuries, Guehi should be a certain inclusion in the XI.
Gordon has been criticised by Newcastle supporters for his poor form, with the winger having failed to score in 28 of his last 32 games for club and country.
Considering others such as Marcus Rashford have excelled in the same left-sided role as the Magpies forward, it is difficult to justfiy his selection in the starting XI.
Jordan Pickford has been a mainstay between the posts for the England national team, and he is unlikely to be displaced irrespective of Pope's form.
Can England win the World Cup in 2026?
Tuchel has proven at club level that he is able to navigate the demands of knockout football, with the German guiding Chelsea to a Champions League triumph in the 2020-21 season.
He also possesses an abundance of options in midfield and attack, with the boss having the luxury of being able to choose between stars such as Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Adam Wharton, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Rashford and Bukayo Saka.
The Three Lions are also able to call upon the creative powers of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James, though there are some question marks regarding the nation's central defenders.
Guehi will be needed to be at his best, and if he can marshal the backline, then England should be considered among the favourites for the World Cup.
ID:585471:1false2false3false: from db desktop :LenBod:collect5894: Written by
Lewis Nolan