England vs. Greece lineups, predicted starting 11, confirmed team news: Palmer or Bellingham to take No. 10 role? | Sporting News United Kingdom

Lee Carsley will seek to continue his unblemished start to life as interim England manager when Greece visit Wembley in the UEFA Nations League.

The Three Lions began their League B, Group 2 campaign with back-to-back 2-0 wins over the Republic of Ireland and Finland in September.

Greece also claimed two wins from two against the same opponents and are above England at the top of the standings on goal difference.

This is unquestionably the biggest test so far of England’s post-Gareth Southgate era and Carsley’s best chance yet to show he has the chops for the top job on a longer-term basis.

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England vs. Greece lineups, predicted starting 11, team news

England’s September wins came without Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden. Carsley now faces the challenge of slotting such talents into his starting XI, although forgoing tactical balance in favour of pleasing star names is a trap into which several of his predecessors have fallen.

Palmer’s electrifying start to the season with Chelsea might edge him ahead of the other two in the No. 10 position that Jack Grealish filled impressively last month. Bellingham is grappling with a new deeper role at Real Madrid and might be similarly redeployed for his country, with Foden’s illness and injury-hit start to the season making him feel like the most obvious odd man out.

Kyle Walker has returned but Trent Alexander-Arnold should retain his spot at right-back after impressing in the Ireland and Finland games. Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke is back in the England senior squad after a near seven-year absence. With Harry Kane nursing a knock from his Bayern Munich exertions, it could open the door to either Solanke or Ollie Watkins.

Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa has withdrawn from the squad through injury alongside midfield duo Morgan Gibbs-White and Kobbie Mainoo. Chelsea winger Noni Madueke suffered a foot injury during last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Gibbs-White’s Nottingham Forest but has been passed fit.

England predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Pickford (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Guehi, Colwill — Bellingham, Rice — Saka, Palmer, Gordon — Kane

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Dean Henderson

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker, Rico Lewis, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Levi Colwill

Midfielders: Conor Gallagher, Angel Gomes, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish

Forwards: Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins, Dominic Solanke, Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke

Greece boss Ivan Jovanovic has been dealt a huge blow after Fotis Ioannidis was ruled out. The Panathinaikos forward scored three goals across September’s back-to-back victories.

Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis is poised to fill the voice and has the pedigree of 80 goals over the past three seasons at AZ Alkmaar to fall back on.

Greece predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left):  (GK) Vlachodimos — Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Tsimikas — Siopis, Kourbelis — Masouras, Bakasetas, Tzolis — Pavlidis

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Odysseas Vlachodimos, Kostas Tzolakis, Christos Mandas

Defenders: Giorgos Vagiannidis, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Ntinos Mavropanos, Andreas Ntoi, Lazaros Rota, Pantelis Hatzidiakos, Kostas Tsimikas, Dimitris Giannoulis

Midfielders: Andreas Bouchalakis, Dimitris Pelkas, Tasos Bakasetas, Giannis Konstantelias, Christos Zafeiris, Petros Mantalos, Manolis Siopis

Forwards: Christos Tzolis, Fotis Ioannidis, Tasis Douvikas, Vangelis Pavlidis, Tasos Chatzigiovanis

What time does England vs. Greece kick off?

This UEFA Nations League match takes place at Wembley Stadium in London, England and kicks off on Thursday, October 10 at 7:45 p.m. local time.

Here’s how that time translates across some of the major global territories:

England vs. Greece live stream, TV channel

Here’s how to watch this UEFA Nations League match across selected areas of the world’s major regions: