England vs Greece LIVE: Nations League team news and line-ups as Palmer and Bellingham both start
Lee Carsley hopes to continue his winning start as England interim boss
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England play host to Greece in the Nations League as both teams look to continue their unbeaten in this top of the table encounter at Wembley.
Lee Carsley’s reign has got off to the perfect start with victories over the Republic of Ireland and Finland during the September internationals. Harry Kane scored twice against the latter on his 100th appearance for the national side but is a doubt for this game after training away from the rest of the squad earlier in the week.
England have also been boosted by the returns of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer who will be causing the manager to think about how to fit all of them into the line-up.
Elsewhere, Greece have also won both of their Nations League outings, against the same opponents, but have outscored the Three Lions with five goals from those two games. This match represents the biggest test of the Carsley era so far but should England come through it they will be the favourites to win promotion back into League A.
Follow all the Nations League action with our live blog below:
Cole Palmer in ‘incredible’ place – but England boss Lee Carsley wants him to get even better
Lee Carsley says every England player will have to “earn their place in the team” as he indicated no one would be a certain starter. The interim manager also says Cole Palmer can get even “better” due to how much scope he has to improve.
England’s abundance of talent has seen clamours rise behind a number of players to be central to the team, from Phil Foden through to Jude Bellingham and now Palmer. He is considering Bellingham at false nine for the match against Greece.
While Carsley again stated that he has a “a plan in place” that can include all three talents, he evaded the question when asked whether Bellingham would always play if fit.
Cole Palmer in ‘incredible’ place – but England boss wants him to get even better
The Chelsea forward has been in fine form in front of goal but doesn’t have a certain spot in the Three Lions team
Pre-match thoughts from Lee Carsely:
“It [Harry Kane’s absence] has given us a chance to try something and be creative with the way we play. We talk about how exciting and creative we can be so I’m looking forward to the game.
“We have a lot of flexibility and you may see a lot of changes. Hopefully it will be exciting. I see all the players interchanging, we have some really creative players.
“Greece have won the last two games, haven’t conceded a goal so we are expecting a tough challenge.”
England vs Greece
England have won 16 of their last 21 competitive home matches across all competitions (D3 L2), including each of their last five. The Three Lions have kept six clean sheets in their last nine such fixtures.
Since the inaugural Nations League in 2018-19, no team has won more games in the competition than Greece (W13 D3 L4), who have conceded the fewest goals (eight) and kept the most clean sheets (14) of any nation in that period.
England vs Greece
England are unbeaten in all nine of their meetings with Greece across all competitions (W7 D2), keeping a clean sheet in seven of those matches.
Greece have drawn their last two away competitive matches against England, most recently 2-2 in a World Cup qualifier in October 2001, leading twice before David Beckham scored a 90th minute free kick to send the Three Lions to the 2002 World Cup.
England vs Greece
The Three Lions have played Greece on nine occasions, registering seven wins, drawing twice and losing none.
Their last meeting ended in a 4-0 England win on 16 August 2006. It was a meeting at Old Trafford against Otto Rehhagel’s reigning European Champions which ended in a convincing win for Three Lions manager Steve McClaren in his first game in charge.
Goals came from John Terry, Frank Lampard and a brace for Peter Crouch.
Jack Grealish opens up on Euro 2024 snub and how things are different under Lee Carsley
Jack Grealish still believes Gareth Southgate should have taken him to Euro 2024 but is feeling the love under interim England boss Lee Carsley.
The 29-year-old was a high-profile omission from the summer’s shot at glory in Germany having been part of the team that reached the Euro 2020 showpiece and then 2022 World Cup quarter-finals.
Grealish was “absolutely heartbroken” to be dropped from the expanded pre-tournament selection and Southgate’s decision still sticks in the craw.
Jack Grealish opens up on Euro 2024 snub and how things are different under Carsley
Grealish was left heartbroken after missing out on Gareth Southgate’s squad for the summer showpiece
Stones full of praise for Palmer
As part of his pre-match media duties John Stones suggested that he told Cole Palmer not to leave Man City, but is still enjoying seeing his rise at Stamford Bridge.
“I was a huge fan of Cole as soon as he came into our first-team set up, what he brought to the game, how he played as if he was in the park,” he said.
“I was sad to see him leave, I made him aware of that, but what he has gone on and done is a credit to him, how he’s conducted himself, how he’s stepped up in big moments.
“He is in a good moment, and I hope that continues for as long as possible. Scoring in the final, he has experienced those big games now and big moments and hopefully there is more of that to come.”
And the Greece line up is as follows:
Vlachodimos, Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Giannoulis, Kourbelis, Bakasetas, Siopis, Masouras, Tzolis, Pavlidis
Confirmed team news
Here’s the lineup for England:
Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Colwill, Lewis, Rice, Foden, Palmer, Saka, Bellingham, Gordon
England vs Greece talking points
Greece looking to extend winning run
Greece arrive at Wembley as League B Group 2 leaders after wins in the opening two games against Finland and Republic of Ireland.
They are ahead of England on goals scored, so this match could go a long way to deciding who finishes top of the group and therefore wins promotion to League A.
Greece are playing well but have not played in a major tournament since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. They last played England in an international friendly in 2006 when they lost 4-0 at Old Trafford.
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