Thomas Tuchel ignores damning Gary Neville verdict with Jarell Quansah decision vs Mexico
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Clark/ISI Photos via Getty Images)Liverpool academy graduate Jarell Quansah is set to start at right-back for England at the World Cup, with Thomas Tuchel going with the Bayer Leverkusen defender ahead of Djed Spence.The Three Lions take on Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday, looking to book a place in the quarterfinals. But they have so far not been particularly convincing and will have to deal with the high altitude, which could give the host — who is already acclimated — a major advantage.After England played Panama, Gary Neville was among those to suggest that Trent Alexander-Arnold should have made the England squad ahead of Quansah, with the Real Madrid man left at home."One position I think I’m pretty qualified to speak on is right-back, and if you’d said to me a couple of months ago that Quansah would be playing right-back for England at a tournament, I’d say that something’s gone badly wrong," Neville said on ITV’s coverage."He’s picked Reece James and [Tino] Livramento, two players who are injury-prone.
He’s not brought Trent Alexander-Arnold in, who is obviously someone with world-class quality, for what reasons we can only imagine."And we’ve got Quansah at right-back. I saw Quansah play right-back for Liverpool in a Carabao Cup final a couple of years ago, it wasn’t a particularly beautiful sight, because he’s more of a right center-back.Jarell Quansah is part of England's World Cup squad(Image: Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)"That’s where we are right now.
Look, England will win this group and will win this game, but there is some turbulence in there."He’s played right-back twice I think in the last two seasons for his clubs, so he’s not a right-back."England did top the group but didn't play well for large periods during its win over DR Congo in the last-32. There have been a lot of issues for England at right-back."Liverpool.com says: Not taking Alexander-Arnold was obviously ludicrous, as was the claim from Tuchel that James' injury troubles could not have been foreseen.Every team at the tournament aside from France, however, is flawed.