Alan Shearer has urged Thomas Tuchel to hand Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford their first starts of the World Cup when England face Panama on Saturday — a match the former captain believes will decide whether the Three Lions win their group.
Shearer’s call comes after a sluggish 0-0 draw with Ghana on Tuesday, a result that, while not disastrous, exposed familiar problems. “Since 2006, every World Cup winner has dropped points in their first or second group game — but what they have also done each time is go on to win their group,” Shearer wrote. “I am confident England will do that too, by beating Panama on Saturday.”
“Alan Shearer says Saka and Rashford should start against Panama after England's draw with Ghana.”
But the confidence is conditional. Shearer said he “would not be surprised if Tuchel makes three or even four changes” after a performance he described as lacking ambition. The biggest issue, he argued, was the wingers. Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke “were not positive enough against Ghana,” Shearer wrote. “Their crossing was really poor … in open play the service from the wingers was pretty much non-existent.”
Shearer believes Saka and Rashford have done enough in brief substitute appearances to earn starting roles. “Saka’s fitness is surely the only reason he hasn’t started either game so far,” he wrote. “If he’s ready this time then he would come in on the right, with Rashford on the left.” He wants to see “more energy and to be more direct in one against one situations”.
Further changes could come at left-back, where Nico O’Reilly should replace Djed Spence. “We seemed to lose a bit of creativity without O’Reilly,” Shearer noted, adding that O’Reilly “was very unlucky when his header hit the bar”. He also floated the return of John Stones for Ezri Konsa, pointing to defensive jitters: Ghana had two real attacks — one which could have been a penalty, another which could have seen Jordan Pickford sent off. “We got away with it both times, but Tuchel has changed things in his defence and there is no doubt that there is some uncertainty back there.”
England head into the Panama match with a last-32 place still unconfirmed, but victory would secure top spot in the group — and, history suggests, set them on a path that champions have followed before.