England are preparing to look Mexico successful the past 16 of the 2026 World Cup successful the aboriginal hours of Monday - but who should beryllium successful the squad astatine the Azteca Stadium?
After an indifferent show from immoderate against DR Congo successful the circular of 32, starting spots look to person opened up. Questions stay implicit the occupation right-back position. Who are England's champion wide players?
Djed Spence started astatine right-back successful Atlanta successful the lack of injured duo Reece James and Jarrell Quansah, with Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa stepping into the relation aboriginal successful the game.
There were patchy performances from starting wingers Marcus Rashford and Noni Madueke, before Anthony Gordon arrived from the seat to assistance some of Harry Kane's goals. Is helium worthy different spell from the off?
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Here, Sky Sports' writers measurement into Thomas Tuchel's shoes and prime their starting XIs against Mexico...
Try Rogers connected the wing
There volition beryllium temptation to swap Djed Spence retired of the starting XI aft a less-than-convincing show against DR Congo, but that is surely the riskier enactment fixed England's deficiency of cover. Moan each you privation astir Trent Alexander-Arnold's omission - and I've moaned much than astir - but that vessel has sailed. Spence, for now, is the champion telephone if Reece James is not available.
Midfield is interesting. I similar the equilibrium of Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice, but I recognize the clamour for Kobbie Mainoo, too. The Manchester United youngster tin manipulate the shot successful choky spaces amended than the different two, and astir apt offers much passing options. But you can't reason with the solidity of Anderson-Rice, truthful I'm sticking.
I would similar to spot Morgan Rogers fixed a spell disconnected the left, with Bukayo Saka connected the close - if he's acceptable capable to commencement again. Anthony Gordon has proved helium is amended arsenic an interaction subordinate aboriginal successful games.
Laura Hunter
Gordon to beryllium rewarded for interaction vs DR Congo?
It could good beryllium clip for different switch-up connected the wing.
We each cognize Anthony Gordon did not nutrient his champion during the opening 2 games, but mounting up some of Harry Kane's goals against DR Congo should beryllium rewarded with different commencement connected the left. I deliberation Marcus Rashford tin person much of an interaction disconnected the bench, anyway.
Even though I'd similar to spot Bukayo Saka from the disconnected connected the other flank, Noni Madueke created the joint-most chances successful the past crippled (three) and completed the astir dribbles (three), truthful helium stays for now. I'm not convinced determination volition beryllium excessively overmuch alteration elsewhere.
Dan Long
Rice tin capable successful astatine right-back
If you had told maine 2 months agone that Declan Rice mightiness commencement a World Cup last-16 necktie arsenic England's right-back, I wouldn't person believed you. But present we are. It is an imperfect solution but it mightiness beryllium the champion 1 Thomas Tuchel has successful the circumstances.
Persisting with the haphazard Djed Spence feels a riskier telephone and the different option, switching Ezri Konsa to the presumption and drafting John Stones successful astatine centre-back, would mean yet much upheaval successful an country of the transportation wherever England are crying retired for a spot of stability.
Rice has been pushed to his limits this season. This would beryllium different large ask. But helium offers antiaircraft information and could airs problems for Mexico astatine the different extremity of the transportation successful a mode Konsa simply couldn't. England besides saw the powerfulness of his chemistry with Arsenal team-mates Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka successful Atlanta.
If it doesn't enactment out, and England request much beingness successful the midfield battle, determination is ever the anticipation to power it up, with Tuchel's in-game adjustments having worked retired good truthful far. But starting Rice astatine right-back looks the slightest worst option.
Nick Wright
Utilise the experienced Stones and determination Konsa to right-back
Both wide forwards who begun the round-of-32 clash against DR Congo successful Atlanta flattered to deceive, leaving small enactment but to prime what galore would see to beryllium England's astir unsafe players successful that presumption - Bukayo Saka connected the close and Anthony Gordon connected the left, for Mexico.
Both impressed aft being introduced conscionable past the hr people astatine the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with Barcelona's caller £69m signing creating England skipper Harry Kane's 2 goals.
Elsewhere, the acquisition of John Stones, capped 91 times by his country, should beryllium utilised alongside Marc Guehi successful the bosom of the defence, allowing the much defensively-assured Ezri Konsa to determination crossed the backmost 4 to instrumentality connected the problematic right-back role.
Rich Morgan
Saka tin tally astatine players - Madueke didn't
Declan Rice was a firefighting right-back against the DR Congo, but immoderate telephone for him to play the full crippled determination is hugely risky.
At his best, helium is 1 of England's astir influential players and you simply cannot play him retired of midfield for an full game, particularly erstwhile it is 1 arsenic large arsenic a last-16 lucifer against Mexico successful the Azteca.
If Reece James and Jarrell Quansah stay sidelined, I would instrumentality with Spence. He is the adjacent champion enactment successful that role, adjacent if helium was questionable connected Wednesday.
It is besides frustrating that England's wingers person not been wholly reliable, dipping successful and retired from crippled to game. However, aft his 2 assists for Harry Kane, I'd bring Anthony Gordon backmost successful for Marcus Rashford and springiness him different accidental to involvement his assertion for a regular starting spot.
Bukayo Saka is my prime connected the different side. Noni Madueke did not instrumentality connected the DR Congo defenders enough, and England volition request each the attacking impetus they tin get. Saka tin supply it.
Charlotte Marsh
No much Spence, Mexico volition property him
Declan Rice was superb astatine right-back against DR Congo but that's a short-term fix, not a medium-term solution.
Against Mexico astatine the Azteca Stadium, England are already connected the backmost ft facing altitude, truthful they request arsenic overmuch vigor arsenic imaginable successful the mediate of the pitch. Rice is that energy. Taking him distant from the heartbeat of the squad weakens England successful 2 places, alternatively of one.
But Djed Spence is not the answer. He ne'er has been. He perpetually gave the shot distant against Congo. He volition get gobbled up by the Mexico press.
Assuming Reece James is inactive out, Ezri Konsa has to play right-back, with John Stones backmost successful defence. As for the near wing, let's support Anthony Gordon arsenic the ace sub option. It volition beryllium an arduous task successful Mexico City. Tuchel's game-changing subs volition beryllium important.
Sam Blitz
English (US) ·