Cole Palmer to withdraw from England squad with minor muscle injury; Rashford and Mainoo doubtful
Cole Palmer will withdraw from the England squad with a minor muscle injury ahead of their Nations League opener against Spain at Wembley on Saturday, and Marcus Rashford is a doubt for the fixture.
Palmer had been given a recall to Thomas Tuchel’s squad on Friday for the forthcoming Nations League fixtures, the first steps in the manager’s new two-year cycle aimed at Euro 2028; England are back in Nations League Group A. Tuchel named Palmer after the Chelsea midfielder’s strong start to the season, but the squad selection also retained Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze as the No 10 options.
Palmer has contributed four goals and two assists for Chelsea and has been a virtual ever-present for them this season, yet he is expected to miss out again with England because of the muscle problem. Tuchel omitted Palmer from his World Cup squad after the Chelsea midfielder’s form ebbed last season and preferred Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze in the No 10 role; Palmer has made only three appearances under Tuchel and has been frequently undermined by injury.
Rashford walked off slowly after his substitution at Fulham on Sunday holding the area by the front of his hip and groin, creating doubt over his availability. Tuchel has repeatedly shown trust in Rashford since naming his first England squad in March of last year when the player was struggling for form, calling him up to demonstrate his belief and including him whenever he was available.
Tuchel’s usage of Rashford at the World Cup shifted after the forward’s performance against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the last 32, with the manager giving him only a couple of minutes as a stoppage-time substitute in the semi-final exit against Argentina and starting him for the first 45 minutes of the third place play-off against France. Kobbie Mainoo, Rashford’s United teammate, is also a doubt for the upcoming fixtures.
Tino Livramento is expected to withdraw from the England squad after being forced out of the World Cup with a calf injury; he returned for Newcastle as a substitute against Bournemouth at the start of the month but suffered a setback in training before Newcastle’s win over Hull on Saturday and was not in the match-day squad, and he is yet to start a game this season. Mainoo was in the World Cup squad but was the only outfield player not to get a single minute; Tuchel said last Friday that "it was entirely on him; it was no slight on Mainoo’s ability or levels of application." The manager said he would certainly give Mainoo minutes in at least one of the upcoming games.
England’s next confirmed fixture is the Nations League Group A opener against Spain at Wembley on Saturday; they then travel to play Czechia and Croatia before returning to Wembley to face Czechia.