Latvia vs England live: Team news and updates as Three Lions seek win to secure World Cup 2026 qualification – UK Times

Jordan Pickford made two crucial saves against Wales after long periods of the game when he was not involved in play.

“Every goalkeeper is different,” he explained.

“I’m quite vocal and communicate with my team. I feel like that keeps me in the game.

“Even if the ball is at the other end of the pitch, I’ll be moving about, keeping in the right line and just being switched on constantly.

“It’s something you get used to and something I’ve improved on over the years, just being in the right position at the right time and keeping communicating with the back four in front of me.

“That keeps me in sync with the game and when called upon, I should be there and ready to make an action.”

Jordan Pickford broke a record held by Gordon Banks when he kept an eighth clean sheet in a row in the 3-0 win over Wales.

Of the achievement England’s No.1 said: “I think it’s good when you break them but I think everyone knows what I’m like – a team player and I’ll take credit sometimes but I think it’s a collective sport. We win together, we defend and we attack together.

“Like Harry [Kane] says, the defence starts from up top really. It’s all eleven of us putting a shift in and when I’m called upon, I’ll make the saves. It’s great to have that milestone and hopefully break it again and get nine.”

Thomas Tuchel has warned Marcus Rashford that “he can be one of the best in the world” but that he still has to take “the right decisions” or “he will be disappointed in 10 years”.

The England manager even admitted that he recalled the 27-year-old for his first squad in March because he felt “it would help him if he felt my support”.

Tuchel, meanwhile, left the door open for the dropped Jude Bellingham by saying he would likely be in his leadership group if recalled.

Jordan Pickford says Elliot and Anderson and Morgan Rogers have been ‘terrific’ since coming into the England fold.

“Elliot has been terrific and Morgan as well. I think Elliot in the last two games, just getting on the ball, half-turn, but the defensive side of it as well which not many people will see,” Pickford explained.

“For the back four with him in front of you, he’s always getting back and screening the centre forward like we did against Kieffer Moore the other – a big target – and he’s always there for second balls and breaks up the play well.

“Morgan, as well, you’ve seen it in the Serbia game and getting his first goal against Wales the other night is massive moment for him and hopefully see many more.

“Us as a group, it’s a great group to be around because you get welcomed straight away and you feel at home and not out of place and you let the football do the talking because we’ve got that good environment.”

Jordan Pickford sat down with the media ahead of tonight’s match and was asked about England’s previous win over Latvia.

He said: “It was a good game. Reece [James] came up with a great free kick and apart from that, we had a lot of the ball but we still had to be wary of the threat from Latvia.

“It was tight and hopefully for us, England will get on the front foot and get right after them.”

Despite winning the reverse fixture 3-0, England will respect Latvia tonight and know they will be tough opponents.

“The focus is on building a strong team, starting a strong team, starting a team that is used to playing with each other, to not give any wrong signals because it’s a given to respect your opponent,” said the England boss.

“We need a strong team and a strong performance to win an away game in a World Cup qualifier.”

England can become the first European nation to qualify for the World Cup 2026 when they take on Latvia tonight. The Three Lions have undergone an impeccable campaign so far, winning all five of their qualifying games, and a sixth win would mean they secure top spot in Group K.

Since Thomas Tuchel took over as England manager at the start of 2025, England have won six of their seven matches under the German, with their only blip being a 3-1 defeat to Senegal in a friendly back in June.

“I have not decided yet but everyone – all of the players – deserves [it],” replied Tuchel when asked who will be in tonight’s starting XI.

“We had enough time to recover after the match against Wales, so we had two full training sessions.

“The spirit and the momentum is clearly there. The players are fully focused. They trained with an awareness, they trained with joy, they trained with a lot of quality – you can sense it.”

Thomas Tuchel says his team have made good strides in terms of their performances and that they are heading in the right direction.

“I saw it even against Andorra at home even if we couldn’t prove it in terms of the result and maybe people outside expected more than just the 2-0 and underestimated the defence performance from Andorra a little bit,” he revealed.

“I saw it even in this game – the commitment especially in the defensive work, the commitment in the high press.

“There was a significant shift in our attitude, in the way we played. We had, of course, two very good two results, good performances lately against Serbia and against Wales.

“We want to take the next step. I feel this, I feel that we’re building something and going in the right direction.”

Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson have built up a ‘strong relationship’ in the middle of England’s midfield with many viewing the pair as the starters for the World Cup.

On Anderson’s performances in an England shirt, Rice said: “He has taken it in his stride and he is playing exactly how he does for his club.

“We have built up a really strong relationship in midfield. We have a close relationship there. We are playing closer together, he is letting me go forward a little bit more. We are building a nice little partnership.

“Obviously the World Cup is in the summer, still a long way to go, but the more we can play, keep building momentum, it will be really important.”