England made a winning start under interim boss Lee Carsley as Declan Rice and Jack Grealish scored against the Republic of Ireland in their Nations League opener in Dublin.
In England’s first match since the Euro 2024 final, marking the start of the new era after Gareth Southgate’s resignation, the Three Lions made a confident start in a fiery atmosphere and took a deserved lead through goals from players who made unpopular returns to the Aviva. Rice and Grealish, having represented Ireland at youth level, were booed by the home crowd but struck against them within the opening 26 minutes.
Grealish’s second goal, set up by Rice, came from a flowing England move that summed up their impressive first-half display under Carsley. However, England lost their rhythm after the break as Ireland grew into the contest, in what could have been a tribute act to some of Southgate’s former side’s performances at the recent European Championships.
The visitors, though, were largely untroubled by a limited Ireland side and there were opportunities for Morgan Gibbs-White and Angel Gomes to make their England debuts late on. Follow all the rection and analysis from England’s win over Republic of Ireland in the Nations League
Republic of Ireland vs England LIVE
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England face Ireland in the Nations League | Live on ITV1
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Fixture is England’s first game since Gareth Southgate resigned with interim boss Lee Carsley now in charge
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26’ GOAL! Jack Grealish sweeps in after lovely one-touch team move [IRE 0-2 ENG]
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11’ GOAL! Declan Rice rifles in after Anthony Gordon’s effort is saved [IRE 0-1 ENG]
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Morgan Gibbs-White and Angel Gomes come on to make England debuts
FULL-TIME! Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:57 , Chris Wilson
95 mins
FULL-TIME! It’s a winning start for Lee Carsley as England close out the game to take home a win in his first match in charge.
A pleasing performance for Carsley, but things to work on after a second half performance that almost let the home side back into the game.
18:55 , Chris Wilson
94 mins
CLOSE! Saka at the centre of things again. He beats his man on the outside this time and cuts it back to bowen, but his shot is straight at Kelleher’s legs.
Moments later, Saka is played through on the wing by Gibbs-White, and he tries to bend it into the far corner, but Kelleher is equal to it again.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:54 , Chris Wilson
93 mins
Rice and Saka combine in the box as the Arsenal man tries his signature cut-in-and-hit-one move, but the shot is blocked.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:53 , Chris Wilson
91 mins
We’ve got five minutes of added time in Dublin as Ogbene clips in a cross that looks like it’s making its way to McAteer, but he falls as he tries to win a penalty.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:52 , Chris Wilson
89 mins
We’ve got a scrappy ending to this game as neither side can really create an opening. Both are struggling to keep possession too.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:49 , Chris Wilson
87 mins
Gibbs-White squares it to Eze on the edge of the box, and the Palace man fires a long-distance strike wide.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:47 , Chris Wilson
85 mins
Great play from Bowen as he recovers from nearly being dragged to the ground and surges towards goal before firing a shot that is saved well by Kelleher.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:46 , Chris Wilson
83 mins
O’Shea puts a long throw into the box but nothing comes of it, and McAteer is penalised for a foul on Kane.
For England, John Stones and Jarrod Bowen replace Harry Kane and Harry Maguire.
Kane is in line to make his 100th England appearance on Tuesday against Finland.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:43 , Chris Wilson
80 mins
Molumby delivers a decent cross but Colwill clears, before the Chelsea man is in action again as he blocks the cross and concedes a throw-in.
Evan Ferguson replaces Robbie Brady for the home side.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:42 , Chris Wilson
78 mins
Ireland give the ball away near their own box but Kane can’t capitalise before they regroup. Gibbs-White is penalised for the foul as he tried to win the corner.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:39 , Chris Wilson
76 mins
Both Colwill and O’Brien are booked after the latter fouled Gordon. It’s turning into a scrappy affair as we enter the last 15 minutes.
Carsley makes his first substitutions as Grealish comes off for Morgan Gibbs-White, Mainoo makes way for Angel Gomes and Gordon is replaced by Eberechi Eze.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:36 , Chris Wilson
74 mins
Smallbone and Idah are replaced by Alan Browne and Kasey McAteer.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:35 , Chris Wilson
72 mins
England’s attacking has been a lot less fluid in this half. An example has just been on show, with Rice and Saka leading a charge forward but with little support as they’re forced to exchange passes between them, before the ball is recycled back to the centre-backs.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:33 , Chris Wilson
70 mins
A dangerous Ireland free-kick ends with a poor cross from Ogbene, and England counter. Gordon drives towards the box, but he loses out to Knight.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:31 , Chris Wilson
68 mins
Rice’s pressure forces Ireland into giving up possession near their own box, and Saka collects. He shifts it wide to Grealish, who slips it to Gordon, and the Newcastle man’s shot is straight at Kelleher.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:30 , Chris Wilson
66 mins
Brady is the next player to be booked after taking Saka down. Alexander-Arnold delivers the free-kick, but it’s caught by Kelleher.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:26 , Chris Wilson
63 mins
Ireland’s best spell of the match as their pressure forces Alexander-Arnold into giving the ball away in his own box, but Szmodics can’t make the most of it.
Molumby is booked for dragging down Grealish.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:23 , Chris Wilson
61 mins
Ogbene has dropped to right wing-back here, so Gordon might not get the same level of joy as he was getting in the first half.
Ireland create another chance as they win the ball near the England box, before Szmodics cuts it back, but again the shot is high and wide.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:21 , Chris Wilson
59 mins
CLOSE!
Ireland’s best chance of the match as the diagonal ball is played over to Ogbene on the right. His cutback finds Szmodics in the box, but the Ipswich man fires wide of the near post!
Encouraging signs though, for the home fans.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:19 , Chris Wilson
57 mins
Coleman spent a long time on the floor there and it looks like he’s having to come off. He’s replaced by Jake O’Brien.
Jason Knight also comes on, for Doherty.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:16 , Chris Wilson
54 mins
Saka wins a corner and then takes it, with his delivery cleared. Seamus Coleman has stayed down in the box, with his left boot on the floor.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:14 , Chris Wilson
52 mins
Alexander-Arnold swings in a dangerous free-kick that Maguire heads back across goal, but it’s cleared. Ireland get rid of it, but it’s straight back to the England defenders.
Ireland are flagging now, as the pass forward to Szmodics runs straight out of play.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:11 , Chris Wilson
49 mins
Not clicking so far for either side at the start of the second half, but it’s England with more possession as you’d expect.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:08 , Chris Wilson
46 mins
Good from Gordon again as he beats Doherty and wins a corner. From the delivery, Maguire is wrestled to the ground, but nothing is given.
KICK-OFF! Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:07 , Chris Wilson
Ireland get the second half started, with no changes at half-time from either side.
HALF-TIME! Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:06 , Chris Wilson
The players are emerging from the tunnel now.
HALF-TIME! Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
18:02 , Chris Wilson
A solid performance from England in Lee Carsley’s first 45 minutes in charge. A brilliant second goal capped it off, and though the opposition could be tougher, it’s still been an impressive start from the Three Lions, with some encouraging signs.
Plenty of intensity, a lot of good movement and two well-worked goals.
Jack Grealish is really enjoying himself in Dublin, as are Gordon and Alexander-Arnold.
17:58 , Chris Wilson
HALF-TIME! Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
17:52 , Chris Wilson
HALF-TIME!
The referee brings the first half to a close and it’s the perfect first 45 minutes for Lee Carsley.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
17:50 , Chris Wilson
45 mins
Szmodics is the first Ireland player booked as he goes in late on Gordon. There’s one minute added on as England go on the attack, but they decide to recycle possession as they look to close the half out.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
17:49 , Chris Wilson
42 mins
Another England counter is led by Grealish, as he drives towards the box before sliding it into the patch of Kane. He tries to get the shot away but it’s blocked by Coleman.
Ireland counter from the corner and Ogbene beats Mainoo for pace down the wing, but his cross is too long, as is the follow-up.
Guehi looks like he’s carrying a knock here.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
17:45 , Chris Wilson
39 mins
Good chasing from Gordon forces Kelleher to clear it straight to Alexander-Arnold. He plays it on to Saka, who swings in an inviting cross that is just over the head of Kane.
Moments later, Alexandr-Arnold delivers a free-kick that is just over the head of Maguire.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
17:42 , Chris Wilson
36 mins
No out-ball for Ireland at the moment, though Ogbene is trying his best.
Alexander-Arnold clips a ball over the top to Declan Rice and it results in another England corner.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
17:39 , Chris Wilson
33 mins
Another promising England attack as Grealish slides it through to Kane. He’s tackled but it runs to Gordon, whose shot is blocked at the last and runs to Kelleher.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
17:38 , Chris Wilson
31 mins
England are totally dominant now, with Ireland struggling to get out of there own half in the last five minutes.
The movement of Grealish and Alexander-Arnold – with the latter floating into the central areas when the ball is on the left wing, and providing width when on the right – has certainly helped England in attack.
Ogbene beats his man and delivers a cross, but Idah can only head over.
Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
17:35 , Chris Wilson
Have a look at this from England. Lovely stuff.
GOAL! Republic of Ireland 0-2 England
17:33 , Chris Wilson
26 mins
GOAL! And so completes the Irish nightmare.
And it’s one of England’s most brilliant goals in years.
One-touch football all round as Rice and Mainoo exchange passes, with the Arsenal man overlapping and playing another one-two, this time with Saka, before breaking free into the box and sliding a cutback across to Grealish, who sweeps it into the opposite corner for 2-0.
Republic of Ireland 0-1 England
17:31 , Chris Wilson
26 mins
Saka beats Brady on the wing but his cutback is cut out. No problem though, as England regain possession quickly.
17:29 , Chris Wilson
23 mins
Ireland have started quite positively, with their forwards showing some nice movement on the counter, but they’ve just lacked that final bit of quality that England certainly do have.
Ireland are sitting back a little more now, opting not to apply pressure when England have it around halfway.
Republic of Ireland 0-1 England
17:27 , Chris Wilson
21 mins
Gordon has provided plenty of threat in the first 20 minutes, and has been England main attacking outlet. Very useful when countering – that will only add to the questioning of why he was used so sparingly at Euro 2024.
Levi Colwill has been solid at left-back in the opening stages too.
Ireland try to launch a counter but Ogbene’s pass is easily cut out.
Republic of Ireland 0-1 England
17:24 , Chris Wilson
19 mins
Declan Rice didn’t celebrate when he scored, so you’d imagine that that’ll provoke some interesting reaction.
England are enjoying plenty of possession now, and they look very comfortable.
Republic of Ireland 0-1 England
17:21 , Chris Wilson
15 mins
It’s all happening now. Ireland break and Mainoo’s foul gives them a dangerous free-kick. It’s hit right against the wall though, and England break led by Rice.
He threads it to the overlapping Gordon, whose cutback is met by Kane, but Kelleher is equal to it.
GOAL! Republic of Ireland 0-1 England
17:19 , Chris Wilson
12mins
GOAL! Out of nothing for England.
Right after that Szmodics chance, Alexander-Arnold picks up the ball in the England half and threads a superb long through ball between the Ireland centre-backs.
Gordon is on the end of it, and his shot is saved as he ran clean through. England collect it again though, and it’s played back into Kane, whose shot is blocked – but Declan Rice is following up to side-foot it into the top corner!
Republic of Ireland 0-0 England
17:16 , Chris Wilson
10 mins
A great chance for Ireland as Grealish loses it on the wing and they break forward. It’s swept wide to Sammie Szmodics, but his shot is too close to Pickford.
Republic of Ireland 0-0 England
17:15 , Chris Wilson
9 mins
England are beginning to dominate possession now, though Ireland aren’t sitting off at all, with the midfield applying plenty of pressure in the press.
A spell of possession ends with Mainoo’s pass being cut out by Szmodics.
Republic of Ireland 0-0 England
17:12 , Chris Wilson
6 mins
Alexander-Arnold is already pushing into midfield whenever England have the ball. He picks up Gordon’s cross from the left and swings it straight back unto the box – he finds Kane, but he can only head over. The first chance for England though!
Republic of Ireland 0-0 England
17:10 , Chris Wilson
4 mins
England try to get forward but Gordon fouls Seamus Coleman. Frantic at the start, as expected.
Republic of Ireland 0-0 England
17:08 , Chris Wilson
2 mins
CLOSE! The corner comes in from Brady and it’s a good ball in which is knocked on to Molumby, who fires a header over while unmarked!
Republic of Ireland 0-0 England
17:07 , Chris Wilson
1 min
Ireland win the first corner of the game, as Ogbene’s cross is put behind for a corner.
KICK-OFF! Republic of Ireland 0-0 England
17:05 , Chris Wilson
The Three Lions get us underway in Dublin.
Why didn’t England manager Lee Carsey sing the national anthem?
17:03 , Chris Wilson
A little explainer in case you missed the discussion/reaction/furore…
New interim England manager Lee Carsley has received plenty of media attention ahead of his first match in charge of the Three Lions, with plenty expected of him after his success at U21 level.
And despite catching the eye with his squad announcement at the end of August – having included four uncapped players – there were plenty of eyes on an altogether more trivial decision in the moments before kick-off in Dublin.
Carsley did not take part in the customary singing of the national anthem ahead of his first match in charge, having explained his reasoning in a previous press conference.
The 50-year-old – who represented Ireland as a player between 1997 and 2008, making 40 appearances – told the media that singing the anthems is “something that I have never done”, either as a player or during his time in charge of England’s youth sides. This comment drew criticism from various corners, with some asking whether he can realistically expect to be named as full-time manager if he does not sing the anthem.
Republic of Ireland vs England LIVE
17:01 , Chris Wilson
The cameras remain glued to Carsley and Declan Rice as the English national anthem is loudly booed at the Aviva.
Republic of Ireland vs England LIVE
16:53 , Chris Wilson
The teams will be emerging from the tunnel soon.
Carsley has just been on ITV ahead of kick-off, and he says “the expectancy is there”.
He adds that he is “looking for them to be exciting”, and that England “will be concentrating on the performance”.
The anti-Rice and anti-Grealish banners are already out, and we’re moments away from the anthems.
16:50 , Chris Wilson
What can we expect from England today?
16:45 , Chris Wilson
The big news in the starting XI is that Jack Grealish looks to be starting in a more advanced role in midfield, in what is nowadays referred to as the ‘10’ position. As in Germany, Rice will sit back with Mainoo likely to try and link the two, though this didn’t quite work at Euro 2024.
Perhaps the introduction of Grealish, who is more naturally creative than Jude Bellingham, can have the desired affect in attack.
With Mainoo, England may struggle with the same thing that Erik ten Hag is struggling with at club level – not really knowing the youngster’s best role in midfield. He is incapable of playing as a lone defensive midfielder, and though he looked secure with Rice in Germany, there was a sense that it he perhaps wasn’t the right fit in that system.
Perhaps Rice and Mainoo are simply not a complementary pairing, but it is worth trying a more naturally attacking midfielder alongside them both to see if it pays off.
Carsley speaks to ITV before kick-off
16:40 , Chris Wilson
Lee Carsley spoke to ITV briefly in the lead-up to kick-off, and said he is in “an incredibly proud position” today.
“It’s an incredibly proud position for myself and my family. I’m really looking forward to the game. I’ve got so much respect for both national anthems and I’ll stand there proudly today.
“It’s a real proud moment, a moment I’m really looking forward to and I can’t wait for the game now,” he added.
Regarding the national anthem, he said: “Everyone is entitled to their opinion – as a player making my debut in 1996, 1997, whatever it was, I was totally focused on the game and it was something I found difficult to get used to, in terms of the delay and I used to spend that time really concentrating on keeping my focus.
“And that hasn’t changed since I’ve been coaching.”
Today’s Nations League fixtures
16:35 , Chris Wilson
A rundown of today’s other fixtures from Uefa’s official X account.
16:30 , Chris Wilson
Maguire finds the net against Ireland in 2020
16:25 , Chris Wilson
Form guide
16:20 , Chris Wilson
England come into this game fresh off a disappointing end to Euro 2024, in which they were beaten 2-1 by Spain in the final.
The Three Lions form over the last five games is W3, D1, L1, though one of those wins was in extra-time against Slovakia, and another one was on penalties against Switzerland.
The Three Lions’ last win in normal time was against the Netherlands in the semi-final of Euro 2024, and their only other win in 90 minutes in that tournament was against Serbia in their opening match.
Ireland (W1, D2, L2) didn’t qualify for the summer tournament in Germany, though they beat Hungary 2-1 and lost 3-0 to Portugal in friendlies in June before the competition started.
Their three games before that ended with draws to New Zealand and Belgium, and a 1-0 loss to Switzerland.
What do fans and the media want from England?
16:13 , Chris Wilson
Plenty of the criticism that England faced during Euro 2024 – and in the immediate aftermath of the loss to Spain in the final – revolved around the lack of a concrete system, which lead to ineffectiveness in attack and a defence that was too easy to open up in the final.
Even in matches where England dominated possession, they created too few notable attacking opportunities and too often relied on brilliant moments from their big names, such as Jude Bellingham’s equaliser against Slovakia.
Perhaps Lee Carsley’s main job is to find a way to balance the side while incorporating all of the main talents, but with players such as Foden and Bellingham unavailable during this autumn international break, Carsley’s main role for now is simply to get England playing some entertaining football while also dominating control of the ball.
Ireland starting XI
16:05 , Chris Wilson
Ireland XI: Kelleher; Coleman, Collins, O’Shea, Brady; Szmodics, Smallbone, Molumby, Doherty; Idah, Ogbene.
Subs: Trvers, O’Leary, O’Dowda, Omobamidele, Browne, Ferguson, O’Brien, McAteer, Scales, Knight, Robinson, Parrott.
STARTING XI | Ireland v England
Jayson Molumby makes his first international start since November 2023 whilst Chiedozie Ogbene returns to the starting line-up after his injury 👌
Kick-off is at 5pm, not long to wait now! 🇮🇪💚 pic.twitter.com/HfZdrw0AZ3
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) September 7, 2024
Team news! Republic of Ireland v England
15:57 , Jamie Braidwood
Tino Livramento, Morgan Gibbs-White, Noni Madueke and Angel Gomes are all named on the bench and could make their England debuts in Dublin.
Team news! Republic of Ireland v England
15:50 , Jamie Braidwood
England team to face Ireland: Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Maguire, Guehi, Colwill, Mainoo, Rice, Gordon, Grealish, Saka, Kane
As expected, Lee Carsley hands starts to the recalled Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire in his first starting line-up as England interim manager.
Maguire partners Marc Guehi in defence, with Trent Alexander-Arnold starting at right back but able to push into midfield. Levi Colwill is on the left.
In midfield, Declan Rice starts on his return to Dublin, along with Kobbie Mainoo. In front of them, Anthony Gordon gets the nod on the left, with Buakyo Saka on the right.
Does that leave Grealish in a free role? Harry Kane captains the side and starts up front.
Is Republic of Ireland v England on TV tonight? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Nations League fixture
15:40 , Chris Wilson
With just over an hour until kick-off now, a reminder of how you can watch today’s match.
When is Republic of Ireland vs England?
Republic of Ireland vs England kicks off at 5pm BST on Saturday 7 September at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on ITV 1, with coverage starting at 4pm. Subscribers will also be able to watch via ITV X online and on the app.
Is Ireland v England on TV tonight? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch
England Nations League fixture list
15:30 , Chris Wilson
Ahead of the line-ups being announced soon, here’s a rundown of all of England’s group-phase fixtures in the Nations League.
10 September – England vs Finland, Wembley Stadium
10 October – England vs Greece, Wembley Stadium
13 October – Finland vs England, Helsinki Olympic Stadium
14 November – Greece vs England, Athens Olympic Stadium
17 November – England vs Republic of Ireland, Wembley Stadium
How the new Nations League system works
15:22 , Chris Wilson
Each team faces each other home and away in the group phase.
The League A winners and second-placed teams will enter home and away quarter-finals against each other. Victorious teams will take up the four spots in the finals, while fourth-placed teams in Leagues A and B will be relegated. Those battling in League C have to work a little harder for safety with the two bottom-placed sides plummeting to League D.
On the flipside, all four winners from Leagues B and C will be automatically promoted, with the two League D winners also moving up. Further promotions will be decided via two-legged play-offs, between the third-ranked teams in League A and runners-up in League B, as well as the third-ranked teams in League B and runners-up in League C.
The two best ranked fourth-place teams in League C will meet the two runners-up from League D to decide who enters the next competition in the higher division.
The return of the Nations League: Groups, favourites and what’s new in 2024/25
Nations League Group B2
15:15 , Chris Wilson
England have dropped down to Nations League league ‘B’, the second tier of the League. They are in group B2, along with Greece, Finland and, of course, Ireland.
They face Finland at Wembley on Tuesday, while Ireland host Greece in Dublin.
The next round of fixtures takes place between 10 October and 15 October.
Halgrimsson comments on England
15:07 , Chris Wilson
“I hope we will have the same result tomorrow, of course,” said Halgrimsson, referring to Iceland’s 2-1 win at Euro 2016.
“We were just speaking in the car on the way in – that night was special. Everything we did that night succeeded, whether it was tactical, taking our chances, defending our goal, and nothing England tried that night succeeded, so it was just one of those days.
““Hopefully it will come again tomorrow. But we know, even if we have our best game, it still isn’t sure it will lead into a victory against a good team like England.
“We need to make sure we have the best game we can tomorrow and see what that gives us,” he added.
“It’s a totally different team. The individual quality, the technical skills, the speed, of this team is much higher than the one we played.
“Also they are coming off from a good tournament and I would say the biggest difference is they have stayed together for two months now, and we have three days to prepare.
“That is going to be challenging as their routine is so drilled, whether it’s on the pitch or off the pitch. Coming from a good U21 campaign as well, they come on a high here, players playing Champions League day in, day out. It’s good individuals for sure we are facing.”
New Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson hoping to mastermind another England upset
15:00 , Chris Wilson
New Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson is hoping lightning strikes twice as he plots England’s downfall once again.
The 57-year-old was Iceland co-manager with Lars Lagerback when they masterminded a famous 2-1 last-16 victory over England at Euro 2016, in the process sending Roy Hodgson’s men to one of the lowest points in the country’s recent history.
A little more than eight years on, Hallgrimsson is looking to do much the same for Ireland in his first game since replacing Stephen Kenny at the helm when England head for the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
New Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson hoping to mastermind another England upset
Notable Ireland v England matches
14:50 , Chris Wilson
As well as that meeting at Italia ‘90, there have been plenty of other memorable matches between these two, some for all the wrong reasons.
Two years before the 1990 World Cup, the teams met at the 1988 European Championship, with Ireland winning 1-0 thanks to a Ray Houghton header. Charlton later remarked: “Somebody once said that fortune favours the brave, and God, our lads were brave this afternoon”.
A meeting at Lansdowne Road in 1995 is the most infamous fixture between the two, with the fixture abandoned after England fans caused riots having seen their side go 1-0 down in the opening 22 minutes.
England v Ireland head-to-head
14:40 , Chris Wilson
England and Ireland have only met 17 times in the past, with the first match dating back to 1946. The Three Lions have won six of these matches, with Ireland winning two and nine ending as draws.
Perhaps the most notable meeting between the two came at the 1990 World Cup, when Bobby Robson’s side drew 1-1 to an Ireland team managed by English World Cup winner Jack Charlton in Group F.
The last meeting between the two came in November 2020, when England won 3-0 in a friendly at Wembley courtesy of goals from Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Brawls, boos and ‘plastic Paddys’: how the English and Irish football teams became eternally entwined
14:30 , Chris Wilson
For some around the Irish squad, it’s still strange to be preparing for a match against Lee Carsley’s England. Ireland made a strong push for the admired coach, since he has 40 caps for the country. A solid Ireland midfielder is now the most important figure in English football culture, and will have a tricolour by his name if he takes England to the World Cup.
Carsley was born in Birmingham but qualified for Ireland through his Cork grandmother, and spoke last week of naturally feeling both nationalities. The same applies to many for Saturday’s game in Dublin, most notably Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, who make up at least nine England regulars over the last half-decade that could have also represented Ireland. It is almost an inevitable inversion of the fixture’s history, when it was Ireland that most benefited from the country’s diaspora to Britain.
That history has been driven by one of the most complicated relationships in international football – at least on the Irish side. Among those complications are “800 years” of British occupation; a century of post-colonialism; decades of the English top flight serving as one of Ireland’s primary cultural influences as well as hundreds of players.
How the English and Irish football teams became eternally entwined
With the national anthem, Lee Carsley discovers there is more to being England manager than just football
14:00 , Chris Wilson
In Lee Carsley’s first act as interim England manager, which was an introductory press conference, he said “I understand how an international window works”. He certainly does now.
If there is one reason there should be caution about Carsley getting the job other than results and performances, it certainly isn’t the singing of the national anthem. That should be irrelevant, except it does at least echo this bigger factor.
It is the need to realise that, whether a coach likes it or not, the England manager job is about so much more than football. It is a vessel for all of the country’s political influences to pour their own interests into, given it is still the most visible position in the national game. The role is supposed to stand for something greater, a representation of England, even if the people concerned with this are never going to actually agree what that England is supposed to be.
Lee Carsley discovers there is more to being England manager than just football
England manager Lee Carsley explains why he won’t sing either national anthem in Ireland game
13:50 , Chris Wilson
Plenty has been made of this in the media in the build-up to the match.
England manager and former Ireland player Lee Carsley says he won’t sing either anthem for Saturday’s match in Dublin, because that’s always been his stance throughout his career – while stating he hasn’t spoken individually to Declan Rice or Jack Grealish about potentially getting booed.
The interim English boss says he has spoken more generally to the squad about a potentially fervent atmosphere, as England play a competitive game in Ireland for the first time since 1990. Anglo-Irish relations have weighed over the build-up to the game, especially with so many of Carsley’s squad – including the manager himself – having an Irish background.
England manager Lee Carsley explains why he won’t sing either anthem in Ireland game
No concerns over Declan Rice and Jack Grealish’s Irish links – Lee Carsley
13:40 , Chris Wilson
Lee Carsley has no concerns about playing Declan Rice or Jack Grealishin Dublin as the former Republic of Ireland international prepares to lead England out as interim manager for the first time.
Saturday’s Nations League opener at the Aviva Stadium marks the start of a new era just 55 days after England lost a second successive European Championship final.
Gareth Southgate called time on his eight-year reign after the narrow loss to Spain, with England Under-21s boss Carsley promoted to caretaker senior boss as the Football Association considers its next steps.
No concerns over Declan Rice and Jack Grealish’s Irish links – Lee Carsley
Inside Lee Carsley’s plan to land the England manager’s job permanently and how he will change the team
13:30 , Chris Wilson
It wouldn’t have taken too many different turns for Lee Carsley to be on the opposite bench in Dublin this Saturday, for what is now his first match as interim England manager.
The Irish federation maybe just needed to go a bit stronger. The Football Association of Ireland had made Carsley its top target for the manager role, on account of his fine coaching reputation, as well as his background of having 40 caps for Ireland.
The 50-year-old has a grandfather from Cork, which gave him a similar decision to make to the time when Jack Charlton’s coaching staff approached him about joining the Irish Under-21s back in 1995. Carsley decided to go for it then. This time, though, he wasn’t so sure.
Lee Carsley’s outlandish England gamble leads to audition with a difference
Carsley’s career so far
13:20 , Chris Wilson
So how has Lee Carsley ended up as England’s interim manager?
The Birmingham-born coach had a 17-year playing career, and most notably featured in the Premier League for Everton and Derby County, having started his career at the latter.
The defensive midfielder made his debut in 1994 for the Rams in what was then called the First Division (now known as the Championship). He became a regular starter at Pride Park, helping his side to promotion to the Premier League in 1995/96.
The most successful spell of his career came between 2002 and 2008 while playing for Everton, with the Toffees finishing as high as fourth and sixth during his time at Goodison.
At international level, Carsley represented the Republic of Ireland, making 40 appearances between 1997 and 2008.
The 50-year-old retired in 2011, with his last club being Coventry City. Having worked on his coaching badges while at Everton, Carsley was made manager of Coventry U18s later in 2011.
His first involvement with England came as a coach for the U19s in 2015, and he went on to become head coach of the U20s in 2020 after holding various youth-level development roles within the FA.
In July 2021, Carsley was appointed as the U21s head coach, winning the European Championship in 2023 after beating Spain 1-0 in the final with a team that included Cole Palmer, Angel Gomes, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Gibbs-White and Levi Colwill.
How can I watch it?
11:13 , Mike Jones
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on ITV 1, with coverage starting at 4pm. Subscribers will also be able to watch via ITV X online and on the app.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
When is Republic of Ireland vs England?
11:06 , Mike Jones
Republic of Ireland vs England kicks off at 5pm BST on Saturday 7 September at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.
England face Ireland in the Nations League
11:00 , Mike Jones
A new-look England squad start the post-Gareth Southgate era with a trip to Dublin to face the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League on Saturday.
Lee Carsley’s youthful squad look to immediately recover from an agonising 2-1 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, with the former U21 manger calling upon a few of his best-known players for the first time.
Angel Gomes, Tino Livramento, Noni Madueke and Morgan Gibbs-White were all instrumental in England U21 European Championship win under Carsley, and all four will get the chance to earn their first England caps in Dublin as the former Ireland international looks to blend youth with England’s vast experience.
And the Three Lions face a Republic of Ireland side who are beginning a new era of their own, with Heimir Halgrimsson having taken over in July – he’ll be looking for a famous win to mark his tenure with the perfect start.
Good morning!
10:09 , Mike Jones
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of today’s Nations League action as Lee Carsley takes charge of his first match as England’s interim boss.
It’s something of a homecoming for the new manager who leads the Three Lions against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin, the nation Carsley appeared for during his playing career.
This match is also the first game England are playing since the exit of Gareth Southgate and Carsley has selected four uncapped players in the squad.
We’ll have all the latest team news, updates and more throughout the day so stick with us as we build up to kick off at 5pm.