England's World Cup 2026 campaign began with a 4-2 victory over Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday night, but the result masked defensive frailties that Gary Neville believes must be addressed before their next match against Ghana.
The Three Lions were twice pegged back in the first half before Thomas Tuchel's half-time team talk turned the tide. Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, highlighted the need for changes to cope with Ghana's attacking threats. 'I do expect changes,' he said. 'Ghana have got Antoine Semenyo, they’ve got Brandon Thomas-Asante, they’ve got players who can play one-vs-one, who are mobile. So I do think Guehi coming in makes sense, and maybe Djed Spence as well.'
“Gary Neville urges Thomas Tuchel to change England's defence for Ghana after 4-2 Croatia win.”
Neville would replace John Stones with Marc Guehi at centre-half and start Djed Spence, who impressed after coming on against Croatia. 'I thought Spence was excellent when he came on against Croatia. I don’t think John Stones will play every single game,' Neville added. 'Spence is someone who will play a big part in this tournament, because he’s like a leech when he defends.'
A win over Ghana would make England near certainties to top Group L, with a game to spare. Neville praised Tuchel's tactical adjustments after a difficult first half, noting that England's second-half display was 'probably the best 10 to 15 minutes we’ve seen from any team in the tournament so far.' The victory was the ideal start, but Neville's warning is clear: defensive lapses against Croatia could prove costly against more physical opponents.