England v Ireland LIVE: Nations League latest updates as Three Lions run riot with three goals in seven minutes
England can earn promotion in the Nations League with a victory at Wembley, in Lee Carsley’s final game
England face the Republic of Ireland at Wembley in the final round of matches in Nations League Group B2, with Lee Carsley’s men sitting at the top of the table.
The Three Lions need to match Greece’s result in order to finish the campaign top of the group and win promotion, and they face an Ireland side that they beat convincingly in Dublin in September. Plenty has happened since that match, with the FA appointing Thomas Tuchel to take over as England manager in January and England having beaten both Finland and Greece ahead of the end of the year.
With Carsley’s time at the helm coming to an end soon, plenty of players will want to put themselves into Tuchel’s thoughts ahead of a new era for the Three Lions. We’ll have all the latest build-up, updates and team news below:
HALF-TIME! England 0-0 Ireland
It’s been a strange half for England, with the side looking at best tired and at worst indifferent. Though with fixture congestion, you sort of couldn’t blame them for either.
Above all, however, they’ve looked like they’ve found it difficult to click this evening.
HALF-TIME! England 0-0 Ireland
HALF-TIME! England 0-0 Ireland
HALF-TIME! The referee brings the first half to an end at Wembley, and it’s been a tepid affair in the capital.
Neither side has had a real chance of note - there have been zero shots on target so far.
That sums up the first 45 minutes.
46’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Ebosele’s early cross is dangerous, but Pickford collects under little pressure.
England win a corner from the counter, but Madueke’s delivery is headed away and Livramento’s follow-up pass is intercepted.
Moments later, there’s a scuffle as Kane tussles with Molumby near the halfway line, and both are booked.
We’re into the second of be three minutes of added time here.
43’ - England 0-0 Ireland
The free-kick is eventually cleared by England after some pinball in the box, before England win a free-kick in their own area and Scales is booked for delaying the restart.
41’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Guehi is the latest to try a hopeful ball forward, but it’s easily headed away. England come again, but Kane is tackled and Ireland counter.
O’Dowd leads the attack and is scythed down by Madueke, and Ireland have a free-kick in a dangerous area on the left.
Madueke and Bellingham were booked for the challenge and their protestations.
39' - England 0-0 Ireland
Gordon and Hall combine well down the left and the latter clips in a great cross, which eventually falls to Madueke, though the Chelsea man can’t get clean contact on the shot.
Szmodics is okay for the moment.
37’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Much of the noise is coming from the Ireland fans, who have cheered every time a cross has been headed away, which has happened quite a few times already.
England have lacked invention so far and it may be pertinent that some of their 10 withdrawals are among their players likeliest to make something happen out of nothing, in Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka. So far, Ireland have tried to sit deep enough to negate the pace of Anthony Gordon.
37’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Ireland fans want a penalty as Ferguson chases the long ball forward and goes down under the challenge from Walker, but the England man got the ball.
England go up the other end on the counter but it comes to nothing as Madueke runs into the defender.
35’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Play is back underway, and Szmodics looks like he might be okay to play on.
England try to launch at attack straight away, but it ends with Bellingham hooking over a speculative effort from outside the box.
Not a great game from Carsley’s men so far.
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