England hit by injury wave as five players withdraw from Tuchel’s squad

England’s preparations for the international break have been disrupted by a flurry of withdrawals, with five players pulling out of Thomas Tuchel’s squad. Cole Palmer was the first to depart, with Chelsea opting to rest him due to a minor muscular issue and overall load management. Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs‑White has been drafted in as his replacement ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Spain, followed by Nations League fixtures against the Czech Republic and Croatia.

The absences did not stop there. Tino Livramento, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Declan Rice have all withdrawn, creating significant selection headaches for Tuchel. Michael Carrick confirmed Rashford suffered an “issue” during Manchester United’s draw at Fulham, while Mainoo also picked up a minor problem. Livramento missed Newcastle’s win over Hull City, and Rice’s injury remains unspecified. England later announced that James Garner and Gibbs‑White would join the squad at St George’s Park.