Four England squad talking points as Thomas Tuchel names 35 players

Manchester United’s improving form under Michael Carrick has resulted in England recalls for Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo.

Thomas Tuchel named a bumper 35-man England squad on Friday for the friendlies against Uruguay and Japan later this month.

With England’s World Cup campaign starting in less than three months – against Croatia on 17 June – there is precious time left for players to impress Tuchel.

The German has rewarded United pair Maguire and Mainoo for their role in boosting the club’s Champions League prospects under interim boss Carrick, although teammate Luke Shaw misses out as Tuchel turns to Newcastle United left-back Lewis Hall instead.

Both Maguire and Mainoo last played for England in September 2024 and will now push to start not only against Uruguay (27 March) and Japan (31 March) but in the summer as well.

The Three Lions also play two warm-up games against New Zealand (6 June) and Costa Rica (10 June) before the World Cup starts.

Why 35 players?

Five goalkeepers… Seven centre-backs… Five No 10s… Anyone wondering “why?” is not alone, but Tuchel has his reasons – confirming the camp will be split into two with 11 players not joining the camp until after the Uruguay game.

Those players are: Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, Elliott Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka.

Thomas Tuchel explained his thinking behind a 35-man squad (Photo: PA)

The majority of those 11 players already have “credit” with Tuchel, with at least six or seven expected to start at the World Cup.

“These guys have played 3,500 minutes, some 4,000 minutes. More important than the pure number of minutes is some of these guys have played more minutes than the whole of last season,” the England boss said.

“All of these players have contributed in September, October and November. They have credit with me. To give them a break mentally and physically, we will benefit from it.”

It also means England’s most hotly-contested battle in terms of quality, the No 10 position, is set to drag on.

Jude Bellingham and Rogers are viewed as the leading contenders for that role, but despite reports Cole Palmer would miss out, the Chelsea playmaker is arguably one beneficiary of this bigger squad, with Eberechi Eze and Phil Foden also called up.

No Trent despite James absence

Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold did not make the cut despite the absence of Chelsea’s Reece James through injury.

James is Tuchel’s favoured right-back but a hamstring problem means the Chelsea captain now faces a race to be fit in time for the World Cup.

And despite that spot opening up, Alexander-Arnold has not caught the eye of Tuchel, with Tino Livramento (Newcastle United) and Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur) fancied instead.

Who is Harry Kane’s back-up?

With Ollie Watkins struggling at Aston Villa and both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Danny Welbeck ahead of him in the Premier League top scorer standings, there was intrigue over who Tuchel would pick as Kane’s back-up.

It is an unforgiving role, given Kane’s importance to England and his fine form this season at Bayern Munich – he has just scored one of the goals of the campaign, too – but as Watkins showed at Euro 2024, playing the willing deputy is vital for the nation’s tournament prospects.

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And Tuchel’s answer: no Watkins, with Calvert-Lewin and Dominic Solanke picked instead.

It is a bitter blow for Watkins, while for Calvert-Lewin the 29-year-old’s five-year England absence is at an end after leading Leeds United’s bid to stay up with 10 league goals.

Mainoo’s late challenge to Anderson

When Mainoo first burst onto the England scene, starting all four of their Euro 2024 knockout games, it felt as though his partnership with Declan Rice could last for years.

Mainoo’s fortunes changed drastically though at club level, and after being constantly overlooked by former United boss Ruben Amorim, his prospects of an England return felt distant.

All the while, Nottingham Forest midfielder Anderson dazzled on debut for England last year and is seen as Rice’s most probable midfield partner for the World Cup.

Now though, with Mainoo shining under Carrick, there is competition in midfield, while Everton’s James Garner will also hope a first senior call-up this month can solidify his place on the plane in three months’ time.

England squad in full

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)

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