Tue Sep 10 13:22:50 UTC 2024: ## England Eye First Wembley Win Under Carsley as Bellingham Remains Out
England will face Finland at Wembley Stadium tonight, marking their first home game since Gareth Southgate’s departure. Interim manager Lee Carsley is hoping to continue his strong start with the Three Lions, who comfortably beat Ireland in Dublin on Saturday to kick off their Nations League campaign.
Carsley is expected to make some changes to the starting lineup, bringing in Rico Lewis, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, and Angel Gomes. However, the highly-rated midfielder Jude Bellingham will miss the game due to a muscle injury sustained during a Real Madrid training session last month. Bellingham himself confirmed the setback in an Instagram post, expressing his frustration and promising to support the team while he recovers.
While the injury is not believed to be serious, Bellingham was not called up to the England squad for the Ireland and Finland matches. Additionally, the Three Lions are without Cole Palmer, Ollie Watkins, and Phil Foden, who withdrew from the squad last week.
Tonight’s match against Finland will be a crucial test for Carsley as he continues to stake his claim for the permanent manager role. With a strong performance at Wembley, he can build momentum and further solidify his position.
First Piper 