Jamie Carragher picks the England XI he expects Thomas Tuchel selected

Jamie Carragher has named what he anticipates the England starting line-up will be when Thomas Tuchel becomes head coach in 2025.

Tuchel was confirmed as Gareth Southgate‘s successor on a permanent basis on October 16, three months after he resigned following the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain.

The former Chelsea boss will begin his £6m-a-year role on January 1, and becomes England’s third foreign manager after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

Tuchel will arrive at St. Georges Park after leaving his role as Bayern Munich boss in May, where he coached England captain Harry Kane.

However, Carragher believes that Kane’s time as the Three Lions’ main man could come to an end under his former boss.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football coverage of Nottingham Forest’s win over Crystal Palace, Carragher said: ‘Gareth Southgate’s main stays were (Harry) Maguire, (John) Stones, (Declan) Rice, and (Harry) Kane.

‘For me, it was Kane’s team in the summer. This is not his team anymore, even though he has a great relationship (with them), the team has to be for the young attacking players.’

One of the more youthful players who has impressed during the interim reign of Lee Carsley has been Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The Liverpool full-back was not always utilised by Southgate and was even experimented as a midfielder during the European Championship.

However, since Carsley walked through the door, Alexander-Arnold has nailed down the position of right-back, winning three Player of the Match awards in four matches under the interim boss.

And Carragher is of the opinion that the 26-year-old should be part of a new-look sprightly back four under Tuchel.

‘I would look at Trent, Stones, and I think (Jarrad) Branthwaite, the left foot and size and presence,’ the former Liverpool defender added.

‘(Levi) Colwill again, Rice, Bellingham here a little bit deeper, (Bukayo) Saka has to play on the right wing, Cole Palmer has to play there.’

While Carragher is convinced Palmer should start for the Three Lions, he does not feel the same way about Phil Foden, who only has four goals in 41 caps for his country.

‘I’d play (Anthony) Gordon if Kane is still the best, he needs pace around him. Phil Foden still has not done enough in an England shirt.

‘What I would say with Bellingham is – is he good enough to play as a centre midfielder in a two and defend with Rice?

‘You morph that into a different formation with the ball. Rice comes in, Bellingham in, the front three. That would be the sort of setup I would like England to go with.

‘Harry Kane has to either stay up front or pick someone who has pace. He cannot come in. Will someone have taken his place by America? It will be right on the edge.’

While Tuchel arrives with a track record of winning trophies, his appointment did not go down well with everybody in England.

Ever since the news broke of his appointment, a number of former footballers and managers have criticised the FA’s decision to appoint a coach from abroad.

FA chief Mark Bullingham revealed ‘that some English candidates’ were interviewed among the 10 coaches they were in discussion with over the job.

But it has since been disclosed that both Eddie Howe and Graham Potter, who had been linked with the position, were not interviewed for the job.

‘If you are interviewing 10 people and Potter and Howe have said they haven’t been interviewed, something isn’t right,’ continued Carragher. ‘I would rather the FA came out and said it. Don’t try and kid us – own your decision.

‘It reminds me of a decision at club level, a team is so close and we are going for an absolute winner.’