ENGLAND STARTING LINEUP VS REPUBLIC OF IRELAND AS TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD DECISION MADE

England will utilise Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back as the Euro 2024 experiment of him in midfield is consigned to history.

Lee Carsley has picked the first team of his interim era, which he hopes will become permanent, when the Three Lions take on Republic of Ireland on Saturday evening. It will be England's first game since their loss to Spain in the final of Euro 2024 with several players recalled.

Gareth Southgate had to make some ruthless decisions in the summer but two men he omitted from his squad in Harry Maguire and Jack Grealish have returned and jump straight back into the starting XI in Dublin.

It may also be a hostile night for Declan Rice with the Arsenal midfielder beginning his international career in the Irish set-up before he chose to U-turn and play for the Three Lions, becoming a hugely influential figure.

He is due to play in a midfield three alongside Grealish and Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo. Marc Guehi, who enjoyed a stellar Euros, is poised to remain as one of England's first-choice centre-halves with Chelsea's versatile defender Levi Colwill completing the backline at problem position left-back.

Alexander-Arnold's position has been a subject of debate with the national side. Southgate was the first man to try and use the Liverpool star in a more advanced role, hoping that his distribution and creativity could be further utilised, but the 25-year-old hasn't always looked at home in the middle of the pitch and is more likely to play a similar role to the one he does at Anfield.

Jordan Pickford was a favourite under the previous regime and, despite the mounting competition, is poised to retain his starting berth.

Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka well always going to remain as crucial parts of England's attack with Anthony Gordon getting his chance to cement himself as part of the picture. The Newcastle forward was recently part of Carsley's U21 team and was the named the tournament's best player when they won the Euros last summer.

Several other youth products were handed surprise call-ups and may feature from the bench in the Irish capital. Angel Gomes and Noni Madueke have both played for the U21s in recent years and could be among those to get their first outings as the pathway through the age grades continues to bear fruit.

England Starting XI: Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Guehi, Maguire, Colwill; Rice, Mainoo, Grealish; Saka, Gordon, Kane.

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2024-09-07T07:44:03Z dg43tfdfdgfd