England will return to competitive football when they host Ukraine at Wembley Stadium in their Group C opener from 16:00 GMT.
Gareth Southgate and his England side will be looking to get off to a flying start against Ukraine as they bid to qualify for the Euros. The team will be even more motivated after exiting the World Cup in Qatar at the Quarter-Finals stage at the hands of France.
Ukraine will also look to continue their good recent form and get off to a brilliant start to their Euros qualifying campaign by upsetting England at Wembley.
Key Highlights
England’s Golden Generation
After coming close to quitting the Three Lions after the quarter-final exit at the World, Gareth Southgate will still be in charge of England at Wembley.
Southgate’s critics argue that with the quality and strength in depth he has to call upon, he should have won a trophy by now. Instead, he has come close to winning the Euros and was far from convincing at the World Cup, which Argentina eventually won.
Gareth Southgate plans to give it another go and take England to the Euros. This journey will commence at Wembley on Sunday with a clash against Ukraine.
With England the firm favorite to win the match and the group, there will be added pressure of expectations, especially from the home fans.
How Southgate and his men navigate this pressure will determine their success on Sunday and in the long-term goal of qualifying for and winning the Euros.
Ukraine’s Positive Form
Ukraine’s form heading into the clash with England is positive. They are unbeaten in their last two matches, winning one and drawing another.
Over the last five outings, Ukraine have lost just once, won twice, and drawn twice. They have scored 9 goals in this run while conceding four in the process. They have kept three clean sheets in this run, highlighting their defensive steeliness.
Ukraine will also not escape the political backdrop shaping their football – the war at home, which has disrupted their domestic league action. However, this is also likely an emotional drive for the players to do well against England.
Injury Report
England
Gareth Southgate’s called-up quad does not have any injuries or suspension challenges. This will be a massive boost for the Three Lions as they will have access to their strongest team for the start of their Euros qualifying campaign.
Ukraine
Ukraine will be without right winger Andriy Yarmolenko. The 33-year-old is sidelined with a hamstring and has been out of action since February 25, 2023. This injury is likely to keep him out of action against England.
Attacking midfielder Vitaly Buyalskyi is unlikely to feature against England because of a red card suspension.
Possible Lineups
England
J. Pickford; K. Walker, J. Stones, H. Maguire, L. Shaw; J. Henderson, D. Rice, J. Bellingham; B. Saka, H. Kane, J. Grealish
Ukraine
A. Lunin; O. Tmchyk, I. Zabarnyl, M. Matviyenko, V. Mykolenko; R. Malinovskyi, T. Stepanenko, D. Ihnatenko, M. Mudryk, A. Dovbyk, V. Tsyhankov
Prediction
England will look to dominate the ball and play on the front foot. They will press higher up the pitch, squeeze it with a high line, and keep the lion’s share of the possession. They will use fast passing, forward-line fluidity, and dynamism in attacking areas to create chances.
Ukraine will look to be compact and solid in their approach. They will defend in numbers and use their pace in wide areas to cause England problems at the back.
England will win this match and get off to a flying start to their Euros qualifying campaign.
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