Key events
GARY NAYLOR, THIS IS FOR YOU
Exciting news for all retro football fans: a new series of ‘The Big Match Revisited’ is in the pipeline, with ITV looking to cover the 1984-85 season. You can read more about it in the next issue of ‘Backpass’. @JohnWilliams004 pic.twitter.com/S2JHPBV8Fi
— Greg Lansdowne (@Panini_book) September 25, 2024
“The football will have to go some to get anywhere near the Anderson – Littler semi-final in the darts,” says Simon McMahon. “Did you see it? It doesn’t get any better. Sorry if you’re not watching, no spoilers.”
Are you suggesting that, because the blog hasn’t been updated for about half an hour, I must have been spellbound by one of the greatest semi-finals of all time? You’ve got nothing on me!
Noni Madueke starts again tonight, having been one of the success stories of the Carsley Months.
Team news: Hall, Livramento start
Lee Carsley continues to experiment, giving a debut to Tino Livramento and a full debut to his fellow Newcastle full-back Lewis Hall.
Harry Kane also returns in the only other change from Thursday’s win in Greece. Ezri Konsa, Rico Lewis and Ollie Watkins drop out.
The Republic of Ireland also make three changes from their win over Finland. Luton’s Mark McGuinness makes his debut in defence, with Dara O’Shea and Jayson Molumby also coming into the side. Matt Doherty, Jason Knight and Mikey Johnston drop out, which probably means a switch to a back five.
England (4-2-3-1) Pickford; Livramento, Walker, Guehi, Hall; Gallagher, Jones; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.
Substitutes: Henderson, Trafford, Lewis, Gibbs-White, Gomes, Quansah, Harwood-Bellis, Watkins, Rogers, Bowen, Solanke.
Republic of Ireland (possible 5-4-1) Kelleher; O’Shea, McGuinness, Collins, Scales, O’Dowda; Ebosele, Cullen, Molumby, Szmodics; Ferguson.
Substitutes: O’Leary, Travers, Doherty, Parrott, Johnston, O’Brien, Moran, Azaz, Manning, Coventry, McAteer, Cannon.
Referee Erik Lambrechts (Belgium).
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of England v Republic of Ireland at Wembley. The Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson may be a qualified dentist, but Lee Carsley’s spell as interim England manager has been more like a trip to the dentist. Okay, it’s had enough in common for a half-arsed analogy. We spent much of the time wincing, whining and worrying, only to belatedly realise it was far less painful than we feared and we’re in a healthier state than we were beforehand.
If England beat the Republic of Ireland at Wembley this evening, they will win Group B2 and return to – ludicrous phrase alert – the Nations League top table. In fact all they need to do is match Greece’s result in Finland, so victory may not be essential.
History will probably be kind to Carsley, who put his big bald head in the firing line for the greater good. He balanced the present and future almost perfectly, getting the results needed while conducting various fact-finding missions that will make Thomas Tuchel’s life easier when he takes over in the new year.
All of the above will be hastily deleted if England make a Horlicks of this afternoon’s game. But let’s not go back to the dentist’s waiting room just yet.
Kick off 5pm.