England team plans accidentally leaked: will Marcus Rashford replace Raheem Sterling?
Assistant manager Steve Holland was captured on camera holding a piece of paper revealing the line-up for the Panama match
It could be a ploy to puzzle Panama but has assistant manager Steve Holland accidentally leaked the England team line-up for Sunday’s group G clash?
Photographers at today’s training session in Russia captured Holland “carrying a sheet of paper that seemed to show the first XI with the reserves written underneath”, the Daily Mail reports.
The paper showed an England line-up and formation with Marcus Rashford, not Raheem Sterling, up front with Harry Kane. While Ruben Loftus-Cheek was “selected” in place of Dele Alli, who missed training because of a thigh injury.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Daily Telegraph reports that England head coach Gareth Southgate had considered rotating his team for the Panama clash. If the pictured line-up is correct the leak “represents a blow for Southgate who likes to keep his team selections a closely guarded secret”, says the paper.
In the 2-1 victory against Tunisia, Sterling started in a front two with Kane but was replaced during the match by Rashford.
The Telegraph says that the Manchester City star was criticised for his performance against Tunisia and there have been “concerns over how dropping Sterling might affect his confidence”.
With ten minutes to go against Tunisia, Loftus-Cheek replaced Alli. He impressed as England secured the late win thanks to Kane’s 91st-minute goal.
Sunday’s match between England and Panama takes place at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium and kicks off at 1pm.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Is academic freedom in peril?
Today's Big Question Faculty punishments are on the rise
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Moldova's pro-West president wins 2nd term
Speed Read Maia Sandu beat Alexandr Stoianoglo, despite suspicions of Russia meddling in the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The wit and wisdom of Sven-Göran Eriksson
In Depth The first foreign coach to manage England on football, life and death
By The Week Staff Published
-
Gareth Southgate's England: a bittersweet swan song
In Depth History books will favour football manager who transformed culture of football in England
By The Week UK Published
-
Can England's Euros team hold their nerve?
Today's Big Question Three Lions' 'lopsided' opening win over Serbia raises more questions than it answers
By The Week UK Published
-
The England kit: a furore over the flag
Why everyone's talking about Nike's redesign of the St George's Cross on the collar of the English national team's shirt has caused controversy
By The Week UK Published
-
Lionesses will have regrets but their legacy can be ‘incredible’
feature England stars return home after heartbreaking Women’s World Cup final loss to Spain
By Mike Starling Published
-
How English women’s football could become a billion pound industry
feature Building on the success of the Lionesses won’t be easy but it is eminently possible
By The Week Staff Published
-
Lionesses dig deep after Lauren James’s ‘Beckham-esque’ red card
feature England reach the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals after a 4-2 win on penalties against Nigeria
By Mike Starling Published
-
Curse of the Lionesses: what’s causing spate of England women’s football injuries?
Under the Radar Several key players are out of the World Cup, raising concerns about hectic schedules, sub-par pitches and sexism
By Harriet Marsden Published