England vs Czech Republic: Tuchel Forced Into Changes as Kane Eyes 125th Cap

England go into their final match of this stretched international break with fresh selection problems and a familiar calculation, protect legs, keep standards high, get the job done. Thomas Tuchel had good reason to feel the schedule had been manageable up to this point. The gap between the 2-0 win in Prague and the 7-0 dismantling of Croatia gave his squad enough recovery time without dragging players into the red zone.

Now the balance has shifted. Tuesday night’s Wembley meeting with the Czech Republic will bring changes, partly by design and partly by force. Alex Scott and Ezri Konsa have both withdrawn through injury, trimming Tuchel’s options and increasing the likelihood of rotation across the pitch.

England injuries reshape Tuchel plans

Scott’s absence is the more frustrating one in football terms. He impressed on his first senior England start in Rijeka and looked like a player ready for more responsibility. Instead, he is reportedly facing up to two months out. Konsa is also unavailable after returning to Arsenal for treatment on an unspecified injury. That matters, because he had just completed 90 minutes against Croatia after missing the earlier win over the Czechs.

Nico O’Reilly had already returned to Manchester City for assessment on an injury suffered against Spain, leaving another gap in the squad. Tuchel has responded by calling up Rico Lewis, who had been away with the England Under-21s. Lewis has not featured for the senior side since November 2024, but his versatility helps. He can operate on either side at full-back, and that matters in a squad carrying a few bruises.

Harry Kane closes on England record

Harry Kane is expected to feature, whether from the start or off the bench, and that gives the occasion some weight beyond the result. If he plays, he will draw level with Peter Shilton on 125 appearances, becoming England’s joint most-capped men’s player of all time. That is the headline number, and it will matter at Wembley.

Jordan Pickford is set to keep his place in goal, while Trent Alexander-Arnold should come in at right-back. Myles Lewis-Skelly is expected to replace Scott in midfield. At centre-back, Tuchel has decisions to make, with Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Guehi and Jarrad Branthwaite competing for three spots after Konsa’s withdrawal.

Predicted England lineup at Wembley

The projected shape is a 4-2-3-1, with England likely to line up as follows: Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Chalobah, Guehi, Hall, Anderson, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Gibbs-White, Rogers, Kane.

There are already several absentees beyond the latest injuries. Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento all dropped out before the Spain game, so Tuchel is working with reduced depth. Still, all 22 available players trained together on Monday, which at least gives him a functioning group and enough flexibility to manage minutes sensibly.

England do not need drama here. They need control, a clean performance and no more names added to the injury list.