Lee Carsley is set to experience his Wembley debut as England’s caretaker manager on Tuesday night, as the Three Lions face Finland in their second UEFA Nations League match of the month.
Carsley’s England reign began on a high note with a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, while Finland suffered a tough 3-0 loss to Greece, leaving them at the bottom of the group.
It was a night of mixed emotions for Carsley, a former Ireland international, as two of his England players, Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, played key roles in defeating the Irish team.
Rice, who once represented Ireland before switching to England, opened the scoring with a curling shot in the 11th minute, offering a subtle apology to the Irish crowd. Grealish, however, showed no restraint, celebrating with passion after netting England’s second goal.
England looked poised for a bigger win, but Carsley’s men slowed down in the second half, settling for a comfortable 2-0 victory. Still, the win added to Carsley's growing reputation, as the Football Association continues its search for a permanent replacement for Gareth Southgate.
Currently, England sits second in League B Group 2, only trailing Greece on goal difference. To secure promotion to League A, England will need to end a disappointing Nations League run at Wembley, where they haven’t won since November 2020, struggling to find the back of the net in two of their last three home matches.
Meanwhile, Finland's opening game against Greece was nothing short of a disaster. Long-serving coach Markku Kanerva watched as his team suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat. A mix of unfortunate events, including an own goal by Benjamin Kallman and a blunder by goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, who allowed a backpass to roll under his feet, sealed their fate.
This marks Finland’s third consecutive season in League B, but after this rocky start, they face an uphill battle to avoid relegation. Adding to their challenges, Finland has conceded at least two goals in each of their last four away games and has never beaten England in 11 previous meetings, with nine losses.
The last time these two teams met was in a World Cup qualifier in 2001, and Finland will be hoping for a better outcome this time around, despite the odds stacked against them.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
None of Carsley's England squad reported any injuries following their 2-0 win over Ireland on Saturday. Captain Harry Kane, who made his 99th appearance for the national team, is now set to become just the 10th player to reach 100 caps for England.
The Bayern Munich star will likely lead an unchanged attack alongside Jack Grealish, Anthony Gordon, and Bukayo Saka, as Carsley may opt to stick with the same starting XI that delivered the victory in Dublin.
Eberechi Eze, Conor Gallagher, and John Stones are among those pushing for a spot in the starting lineup, while Tino Livramento and Noni Madueke could make their debuts after Morgan Gibbs-White and Angel Gomes made their senior appearances off the bench last weekend.
On the other hand, Finland had a rough time against Greece, suffering two setbacks before and during the match. Sparta Prague midfielder Kaan Kairinen was injured before the game even kicked off, and Rasmus Schuller had to be substituted just before halftime due to a leg injury. While Schuller's status for Tuesday's match is still uncertain, early signs don’t look promising, and Kairinen has already been ruled out.
Urho Nissila, who plays in Hungary, replaced Schuller in the Greece defeat and is expected to start from the beginning this time around. In attack, Finland may turn to Joel Pohjanpalo or veteran striker Teemu Pukki as alternatives to Benjamin Kallman, who unfortunately scored an own goal in their last outing.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
England possible starting lineup:
Pickfrord; Alexander-Arnold, Guehi, Maguire, Colwill; Mainoo, Rice, Grealish; Saka, Kane, Gordon
Finland possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Stahl, Hoskonen, Ivanov, Uronen; Peltola, Nissila; Lod, Kamara, Antman; Pohjanpalo
EXPERT PREDICTION
England 3-0 Finland
