England vs Australia LIVE! Colwill debut – Friendly match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV today
Wembley hosts an international friendly tonight between the Three Lions and the Socceroos as both teams prepare for upcoming major tournaments. Gareth Southgate has named an experimental team featuring debutant Levi Colwill ahead of potentially securing qualification for Euro 2024 next week.
After cruising to victory away to Scotland last month, England are once again expected to claim the win here to continue making their case that they are among the favourites to be crowned European champions in Germany. They have only lost once to Australia, with all of their meetings coming in non-competitive action.
The Aussies know a win in London will set them up well for the Asian Cup, which starts in January. A surprisingly good run at the World Cup in Qatar showed Graham Arnold has created a fairly formidable side from few star players. Follow England vs Australia LIVE via Standard Sportâs match blog, featuring expert analysis from our reporters at Wembley!
Live updates
Australiaâs only win in this fixture came in a 3-1 reverse at Upton Park in 2003, when Francis Jeffers scored the hostsâ only goal.
England wins: 4
Australia wins: 1
Draws: 2
Israel FA release strongly-worded statement against FIFA, UEFA and the FA
Dom Smith at Wembley
So Levi Colwillâs England debut comes in the form of a start at left-back.
For a player who came through as a centre-back, I doubt he saw that coming â but it is reward for his excellent deputising there while Ben Chilwell goes from one injury issue to the next at Chelsea.
An experimental XI in which the average number of caps in the England line-up is just 15. It would be eight without the experience of Jordan Henderson.
Australia team news
Ryan Strain, born in Coventry before growing up in Australia and now playing for St. Mirren, makes his first Socceroos start at right-back.
Veteran forwards Mitchell Duke, Ryan Goodwin and Hibernianâs Martin Boyle will provide the firepower.
Debut for Levi Colwill
A fairly offensive-minded line-up named by Gareth Southgate for England.
Trent Alexander-Arnold starts at right-back with Levi Colwill on the left side of defence, perhaps tucking in to emulate Chelseaâs tactics this season?
Ollie Watkins is preferred to Eddie Nketiah up front where Jarrod Bowen and Jack Grealish will flank the Aston Villa striker.
Jordan Henderson takes the armband alongside James Maddison and Conor Gallagher in midfield, with Fikayo Tomori and Lewis Dunk protecting Sam Johnstone in goal.
How the visitors line up
Australia XI: Ryan; Rowles, Burgess, Souttar, Strain; Irvine, Baccus; Boyle, Metcalfe, Duke; Goodwin
Subs: Degenek, Bos, Silvera, Borrello, Mabil, Redmayne, OâNeill, Behich, Miller, Glover, Luongo, Circati
How England line up tonight
England XI: Johnstone; Alexander-Arnold, Tomori, Dunk, Colwill; Maddison, Gallagher, Henderson; Bowen, Watkins, Grealish
Subs: Ramsdale, Pickford, Trippier, Maguire, Stones, Guehi, Walker, Rice, Rashford, Kane, Foden, Phillips, Bellingham, Nketiah
Harry Maguire: David Beckham chat meant the world to me
Harry Maguire has revealed that David Beckham called him to offer support after his horror show against Scotland last month.
Maguire was relentlessly jeered and mocked by Scotland supporters at Hampden Park after coming on as a half-time substitute, and another difficult evening for the Manchester United centre-half was compounded when he scored an own goal in a 3-1 England win.
Beckham knows what it feels like to be the subject of abuse as a player, and a new documentary on Netflix charts how he and his family were targeted after he was sent off while playing for England against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup – the nadir of his career.
âI actually spoke with David about three weeks ago after the Scotland game, he got in touch with me,” Maguire said. âIt meant everything.â
Read the full story!
Harry Kane wonât be quitting anytime soon
Harry Kane insists he has âat leastâ eight or nine years left at the highest level as he bids to make Englandâs home tournament at Euro 2028.
âThe perception in sport or football in general is you hit 30 and people start to think it is the end,â Kane said.
âBut the way I am looking at it is that I almost have the second half of my career. I played in the first team at Spurs from 20 or 21 so I have had nine or 10 years at the highest level and I am hoping for another eight or nine years at the highest level again.
âWhen you look at a lot of the top-level players – Ronaldo, Messi, Lewandowski, Ibrahimovic â they have almost got better as they hit 30.
âIn a lot of sports that happens as well. Everything is maybe settled in your personal life. You have got family, you have got kids â so that side is all settled.â
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Will we see Jude Bellingham tonight?
Jude Bellingham has lit up both the national and international stage, with his career going from strength to strength since arriving at Real Madrid.
Ben Hayward delivered his analysis of where the England starâs is going ahead of todayâs game.
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