According to Anthony Gordon, there was 'no chance' he would miss out on the England squad due to injury, which has seemingly placed him in the minority. As the countdown to Thursday night's crucial Nations League tie against Greece in Athens—and the subsequent Wembley meeting with Republic of Ireland three days later—continues, interim manager Lee Carsley has faced numerous setbacks, including player withdrawals. On Monday, an unprecedented eight players withdrew, prompting a call for reinforcements. Among them was Jarrad Branthwaite, who was promoted from the under-21s but couldn't train fully and didn't travel, his place taken by the uncapped Jarell Quansah. This brings the total to nine withdrawals, with fears of more before the Ireland game.
Gordon could have easily excused himself. He left the pitch in the 80th minute of Newcastle's victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, feeling discomfort from a hip issue he's been dealing with. His manager, Eddie Howe, indicated afterwards that he might be doubtful for England. However, Gordon made it to the squad, and as he prepared to earn his eighth cap, his positive attitude would have pleased both Carsley and England captain Harry Kane, who recently spoke about the challenging season and how 'maybe there has been a taking advantage of that this week [from players] … I don’t really like it.' Gordon's determination was evident, and credit must also go to Howe, who has historically withdrawn players for less significant reasons.
'Yeah, it's really nice [to have Howe’s support],' Gordon said. 'He loves England, he speaks very well [about the setup]. Even when I go back, he always asks me and congratulates me on every cap I get. He’s English. I’m sure he wants to see England win.' Gordon dismissed the possibility of not showing up. 'I came to get assessed and see how the injury is, and the staff here thought they could help me with it, which they have. They’ve done an excellent job because I’ve been training straight away. It’s gone to a certain extent. It’s an injury I had a couple of weeks ago and it stayed with me a little bit.'
This has been a challenging week for Carsley. Since naming a 26-man squad last Thursday, many big names have pulled out—including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Declan Rice, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, and Jack Grealish. Already injured were John Stones, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, and Luke Shaw. Carsley now has 23 players with him, 13 of whom have four or fewer caps, and seven with none at all. There has been public criticism from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola over the original selection of Grealish, who hasn't played since October due to a groin injury. There has also been the ongoing sideshow regarding Thomas Tuchel and the fact that England's next permanent manager won't start until January 1.
The Football Association has been clear about the need to secure promotion from the Nations League's B section, and Carsley hasn't shied away from this responsibility. 'The importance of winning the group has been spelt out when we were talking about me doing the job,' he said. If England finishes as runners-up to Greece, they would face a two-legged promotion playoff in March against a third-placed team from the A section, potentially delaying the start of their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. A one-goal victory in Athens would leave England needing to better Greece's result against Finland in the final round of ties. If Greece wins by one, England would need to beat Ireland by two goals, and so on.
Revenge is also on the agenda. Carsley is determined to move on from the 2-1 Wembley loss to Greece in October, when his all-attacking strategy backfired. 'I 100% agree that we need to put the performance right,' he said. What Carsley most wanted to emphasize was the opportunity for the players currently in the squad; Curtis Jones, perhaps, who stands to make his debut in midfield. Noni Madueke on the right wing, maybe. Gordon on the other side.
Gordon shared a touching story about Tuchel, who had tried to sign him from Everton for Chelsea in the summer of 2022. 'It was quite close and I was desperate to go at the time and work with him, especially,' Gordon said, recalling how Tuchel spoke to him after their teams played each other. 'I shook his hand and he said some really complimentary things to me that I’ll keep to myself. I felt a lot of warmth from him which in turn made me really want to play for him.' However, Gordon dismissed the notion that the England players would be conscious of impressing Tuchel. What matters is the present, and being present.
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