England vs Uruguay LIVE: Tuchel selects Phil Foden and James Garner to start in Wembley friendly – UK Times

The England squad has arrived at Wembley and is preparing to take on Uruguay.

The starting XI drops shortly:

England XI: Trafford; Spence, Maguire, Tomori, Livramento; Henderson, Garner; Madueke, Foden, Rashford; Solanke

There are doubts over whether John Stones will start for England tonight – we’ll find out shortly when the line-ups drop – and Thomas Tuchel has been speaking about injury doubts.

He was asked if he would need to be 100% certain that Stones was fit in order to include him in the World Cup squad.

The England boss replied: “Yes, I guess so, but he came here and he was fit, then he feels something, so if we call him up there might be the chance he maybe misses out on a match at short notice.

“We have other top central defenders, but he can still play a part, with his energy and with his quality, but first of all I want him to be in camp as a player. Let’s see how this camp continues and how it plays out.”

Harry Maguire is back in the England fold after impressing for Manchester United under interim boss Michael Carrick.

“Harry simply deserves it,” Tuchel said when asked why he was called up.

“He has, especially since Michael Carrick took over, had very, very good performances and fantastic results and is a key figure in the Man United squad who is now in third place and on a very good run of form.

“He’s a big reason for that, so he deserves to be with us. It’s interesting also for me to get to know him in person and to see him in training and see him within the group.

“He has outstanding qualities on set-pieces, so I’m happy that he found his way back to us.”

Butterflies fluttered. Maguire hadn’t played for England for nearly two years, since he appeared in a Nations League game against Ireland in 2024.

Tuchel has three No 9s in his group: an intriguing element is that Ollie Watkins, often Harry Kane’s understudy, is not one of them.

If he remains out in the cold, it could seem a straight shootout between the two Dominics, Solanke and Calvert-Lewin, for the back-up role; it is harder to see both being chosen.

There are other ways of finding another centre-forward: Phil Foden did well as a false nine against Serbia in November, Jarrod Bowen sometimes leads the line for West Ham, Anthony Gordon is now Newcastle’s central figure, and Marcus Rashford has played more games than any as the spearhead of a side.

Gareth Southgate took three centre-forwards to Euro 2024 – though Ivan Toney’s selection was partly for his penalty-taking. Tuchel is more likely to go with two and to use one of his extra three picks elsewhere.

Of course, Eberechi Eze could be that fifth winger. If Tuchel only takes four, difficult decisions beckon.

On the left, two of his favourites have been Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford, each offering similar pace, but Eze can come infield more; Harvey Barnes’s addition to the group only complicates the equation.

On the right, he has so far avoided making a definitive decision as to whether Noni Madueke or Jarrod Bowen is Bukayo Saka’s immediate deputy.

It has looked a likely scenario, simply because of the depth of talent in the position. As it is, Tuchel may still have to omit a supposedly generational talent, in either Phil Foden or Cole Palmer, because Morgan Rogers and Bellingham – despite being excluded from the squad in October – seem shoo-ins.

It would nevertheless appear imbalanced if Tuchel took four No 10s. The saving grace is that each is versatile: while Tuchel seems to want game-stretching width on the flanks, which is not Palmer’s forte, he can play off the right. Foden was used in attack in November. Eberechi Eze has scored for England as a left-winger. Morgan Gibbs-White, only really a No 10, has faded from the picture.

Five central midfielders?

Another area where it had looked like Tuchel would be content with a quartet. There are other ways of bolstering the contingent in the centre of the pitch: if Jude Bellingham is classed as a No 10, he can nevertheless operate in a deeper role, while Nico O’Reilly seems likely to travel as a left-back, but spent his youth in midfield, and has played there at times in 2026.

But the call-up of James Garner offers another dimension and a different way of configuring his squad. Garner is a central midfielder by preference but has flourished for David Moyes in a series of roles. Take him to the World Cup as the fifth midfielder and the 25-year-old could double up as the third right-back. Or if Tuchel took both Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton, he may have five out-and-out central midfielders.

Reece James had spent longer on the sidelines than John Stones in recent seasons, but, while he sits out the current squad, he has made 36 appearances this season.

Before the Chelsea captain was hurt, the sense was that Tuchel was likelier to take four full-backs, in part because conceivably it still gives him three choices on either flank.

Tino Livramento and Djed Spence can play on both sides of the back four, while he has used two centre-backs – in Ezri Konsa and Jarell Quansah – at right-back, plus Dan Burn can be the world’s tallest left-back.

It may count against Trent Alexander-Arnold that, with James cemented as the first-choice right-back, Tuchel seems to prefer versatility to a second specialist.