England and Ireland will face off in their opening UEFA Nations League match on Saturday afternoon in Dublin, rekindling their long-standing rivalry. England aims to rebound from their disappointing Euro 2024 campaign.
Since their last match in Berlin, where they were defeated by Spain, there have been significant changes. Most notably, Gareth Southgate has stepped down as manager after the Euros, with Lee Carsley now at the helm. Carsley, a former Ireland player, will be managing the Three Lions for the first time against his old team.
In his first match as manager, the 50-year-old Lee Carsley has selected Jordan Pickford, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire, Marc Guehi, Levi Colwill, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon, Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka, and Harry Kane as starters.
Carsley has opted to include both Rice and Grealish in the lineup, who may encounter a tough reception from the Aviva Stadium crowd due to their previous association with Ireland and current allegiance to England.
The Republic of Ireland also has a new manager, Heimir Hallgrimsson, who took over from John O’Shea this summer. This will be Hallgrimsson’s debut as the Irish national team manager.
The Icelandic coach faces a significant challenge in improving the Irish team’s fortunes, as Ireland has missed out on recent major tournaments. At 57, Hallgrimsson aims to turn things around using the young talent available to him. Before targeting future success, Ireland will first focus on the UEFA Nations League, hoping to mark Hallgrimsson’s tenure with a victory over their historic rivals.
For the match against England, Hallgrimsson has selected the following lineup: Kelleher, Coleman, O’Shea, Collins, Doherty, Ogbene, Smallbone, Molumby, Brady, Szmodics, and Idah.