England will host Serbia at Wembley Stadium on Thursday, in what promises to be a commanding display from Thomas Tuchel’s dominant Three Lions.
Although the hosts have already secured their World Cup qualification berth with a perfect record, the visitors desperately need a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive in a tightly contested Group K battle.
England vs Serbia – Match preview and team news
- Date: Thursday, 13th November.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: Wembley Stadium, London.
England team news
England manager Thomas Tuchel has recalled two key figures to his squad following their impressive recent performances at club level. Jude Bellingham returns after being omitted from the October international break, following shoulder surgery earlier in the year. The 22-year-old has impressed for Los Blancos in recent weeks, scoring the winning goal against Juventus in the Champions League.
Phil Foden also earns a recall after being absent since March, following an upturn in form for Manchester City. Tuchel has emphasised that Foden will feature in a central role rather than on the wing, allowing him to utilise his creative abilities to their fullest potential.
Marc Guehi remains a serious injury doubt for England and will not feature in this fixture. This means Ezri Konsa and John Stones are expected to line up as the defensive pairing alongside goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who continues his remarkable run of clean sheets for the national team.
Anthony Gordon was included in the squad despite recent injury concerns at Newcastle United, with Tuchel confirming he remains in close contact with the Magpies’ medical staff.
Serbia team news
Serbia have undergone a significant change ahead of this fixture, with Veljko Paunovic appointed as head coach following Dragan Stojkovic’s resignation after a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Albania. Paunovic, who famously led Serbia’s Under-20 squad to World Cup victory in 2015, brings a wealth of experience and an adaptable tactical approach.
Dusan Vlahovic remains uncertain for the fixture due to back pain. The 25-year-old complained of physical discomfort during Juventus’s Champions League match against Sporting CP and was withdrawn during their subsequent Serie A encounter with Torino. Serbia’s national team doctors will assess his condition before deciding whether he is fit to participate.
Aleksandar Mitrovic, who would typically lead the line for Serbia, has been excluded from the squad after failing to meet the eligibility criteria of having played in his last five games for his club.
Form
England
Under Thomas Tuchel’s stewardship, England have been virtually unstoppable. The Three Lions’ only blemish this year came against Senegal in a friendly, but they have since established a remarkable run of dominance.
In their World Cup qualifying campaign, Tuchel’s men have not dropped a single point, winning all six matches with 18 goals scored and zero conceded.
Serbia
Serbia’s recent campaign has been inconsistent and problematic. After a promising start to qualifying, the Eagles have stuttered badly, suffering humbling defeats at home to England and 1-0 loss to Albania that cost former manager Dragan Stojkovic his job.
Predicted lineups
England: Pickford; James, Konsa, Stones, Burn; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.
Serbia: Petrovic; Mimovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic, Terzic; Gudelj, Lukic; Zivkovic, Samardzic, Kostic; Vlahovic.
How to watch England vs Serbia?
UK viewers can watch the match live and free-to-air on ITV1 and STV.
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