Thomas Tuchel has been forced to make a last-minute change to his England squad ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.

Cole Palmer is expected to pull out of Thomas Tuchel ’s first England squad, with the Chelsea star set to have a scan on a muscle problem on Monday. Palmer, who had been ever-present for the Blues in the Premier League this season, missed Sunday’s 1-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates after picking up a minor injury in training on Saturday.

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Tuchel was appointed England manager in October after Lee Carsley held the fort following Gareth Southgate’s departure. The former Chelsea boss was handed an 18-month contract and took the reins at the start of January, with his primary focus centred around winning the 2026 World Cup.

Thomas Tuchel's first England squad is in, and it's fair to say there are a few surprises. Seasoned internationals Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson have returned, while there are first call-ups for Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn and no place at all for Morgan Gibbs-White and Jack Grealish.

Follow live reaction and analysis as new manager England Thomas Tuchel explains his first squad ahead of two 2026 World Cup qualifiers this month

Cole Palmer will have the chance to recharge his batteries over the international break. The 22-year-old midfielder had been unwell for some time before picking up a knock ahead of Chelsea's clash against Arsenal.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes that Cole Palmer will withdraw from Thomas Tuchel's England squad after suffering a 'muscular injury'.