Manchester City took a "step forward" in their European "journey" by beating Women's Champions League holders Barcelona 2-0, so says Gareth Taylor.

City ran out winners on Wednesday thanks to goals from Champions League debutant Naomi Layzell and Khadija Shaw at Joie Stadium.

Aitana Bonmati and Claudia Pina were among those to go close for Barca, but City held firm for a memorable win.

"It's right up there, definitely," said Taylor of the performance from his side, who have won two of their opening three Women's Super League matches, too.

"The performance in the first half especially was top. We knew at some point we would have to weather the storm and we did that tremendously well.

"I felt we could have been 3-0 or 4-0 up in the first half due to the opportunities we created and the pressure we put on them."

Taylor was asked by DAZN if City could claim European glory this year, and replied: "Yes.

"We have taken a step forward tonight. We are super-honoured to be in the competition and enjoying the journey."

For Layzell, it was a Champions League bow to remember.

"To do that, scoring and assisting when she was playing out of position against Barcelona, is unbelievable," Taylor said of the 20-year-old, who was signed from Bristol City in the summer.

"It is special. I think if you get to know Naomi then you will say it doesn't surprise you. She is very humble and coachable. She's playing in a non-favoured position at right-back because she is a centre-back. She will be on cloud nine."

While City celebrated a famous victory over European royalty, there was no such joy for Arsenal, who were beaten 5-2 by Bayern Munich.

The match was in the balance at 2-2 until Pernille Harder scored a 15-minute hat-trick as Bayern went on to snap a four-game winless run in the Champions League.

"It’s a football game at a high tempo and obviously we're very disappointed with the result and the way things turned out in the second half," said Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall, who is reportedly under pressure following a run of just one win from the Gunners' opening three WSL fixtures.

"We played a good first half. I think Bayern came out with a lot of energy in the second half and they were very effective on set-pieces. We weren't good at defending those, and that's why we couldn't get a better result today."

Lee Carsley revealed that John Stones will lead out England in their Nations League clash against Greece on Thursday, with Harry Kane set to start the encounter on the bench.

Stones, who has made 81 caps for the Three Lions since his debut in 2014, will captain his nation for the first time at the start of a match. 

During Gareth Southgate's tenure, only Kane (81) and Kyle Walker (70) made more appearances than Stones (68 - level with Jordan Pickford). 

The Manchester City defender has become a mainstay in the England side in recent years, helping his nation to their two major tournament final appearances in consecutive European Championships.

"It's everything I could have dreamed of as a kid. More for my family, to be able to see me walk out as England captain is a special moment," Stones said. 

"One I can't thank Lee enough for. An incredible moment for me.

"To be walking out with the armband on is an absolute honour and a moment I'll cherish forever."

"It was a great conversation I was able to have with John to ask him to captain the team," Carsley added. 

"It's a brilliant achievement, something he deserves with the amount of caps he's got, the level of professionalism he's shown, the example he is to young players."

Carsley later confirmed Kane could still play a part against Greece and would be in the running to face Finland on Sunday.

Kane, who marked his 100th England appearance with two goals in the Three Lions' 2-0 win over Finland last month, suffered an ankle injury in Bayern Munich's draw with Bayer Leverkusen in his final match before the international break.

The 31-year-old has since trained away from the main group of players. 

"Harry is nursing an injury, a small knock, something we won't take a chance with," said Carsley.

The interim Three Lions boss was also asked about the role of Cole Palmer, with the Chelsea forward enjoying a fine start to the Premier League campaign. 

Palmer has scored six goals in seven games in the league this term, four of which came in a stunning display against Brighton, becoming the first player in Premier League history to net four times before half-time in a single match. 

The 22-year-old leads the Premier League for the most goal involvements this campaign (11), with only Bukayo Saka (27) creating more chances in the top flight this season than Palmer (23 - level with Andreas Pereira and Dwight McNeil). 

Palmer was also recently named England's Men's Player of the Year for 2023-24, and Carsley expects him to carry on his impressive form in England's next two fixtures.

"Cole is in fantastic form. He's carried that into this week," said Carsley. "Such an exciting player, a player I've worked with for four, five years now.

"Cole, along with a lot of other attacking players who have put themselves into a great position to start the game."

Naomi Layzell enjoyed a dream Women's Champions League debut as her goal and assist helped Manchester City stun holders Barcelona 2-0 on Wednesday. 

Layzell was playing her football in the Women's Super League last season with relegated Bristol City, but was the star of the show at the Joie Stadium. 

City were making their first appearance in the competition since falling to a 4-2 quarter-final loss to the Catalan side in March 2021, and exacted their revenge with a plucky display.

The hosts, however, almost found themselves a goal behind with just three minutes on the clock when Caroline Hansen took aim and saw her effort cannon off the post, shortly before Lauren Hemp struck the woodwork with a strike of her own. 

City grew into the contest and almost got the goal their performance merited in the 35th minute when Vivianne Miedema teed up Khadija Shaw, only to see her effort saved by Cata Coll.

But from the resulting corner, Gareth Taylor's side got their noses in front as Miedema brilliantly headed the ball from the back post and back into the danger area, with Layzell sliding in to mark her Champions League debut with a goal. 

Barcelona had only failed to score once in their past 79 games heading into the encounter, and improved after the interval in their search for an equaliser. 

Aitana Bonmati forced Ayaka Yamashita into making a smart save down to her right, with substitute Claudia Pina going close from distance as City were forced to withstand a relentless wave of pressure from the defending champions. 

But the hosts landed a sucker punch in the 77th minute on the counter, with Layzell turning provider for Shaw, with the striker riding the challenge of Patri Guijarro before rounding Coll to seal a memorable triumph for City. 

The Citizens ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.68 compared to Barca's 1.5, despite having four fewer shots than their opponents. 

Gareth Taylor's side sit level on points with Hammarby in Group D, after the Swedish side beat Austria's St. Polten 2-0 earlier on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in Group C, Juventus edged out Norwegian side Valerenga to kickstart their campaign with a victory at the Intility Arena. 

Sofia Cantore's 29th minute strike proved to be the difference, with the Italian curling a fine right-footed effort beyond the grasp of Tove Enblom against the run of play. 

Juventus continued to struggle throughout the contest, with Valerenga registering 25 shots, with six of those on target, ending with an xG total of 2.2. 

Manchester United's Amad Diallo has withdrawn from the Ivory Coast's Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sierra Leone due to illness. 

Diallo, who has made six appearances for his country, has since returned to Manchester ahead of the Red Devils' upcoming Premier League fixture against Brentford.

The 22-year-old earned his first cap for the Elephants in 2021, and was recalled to Emerse Fae's group after a 15-month absence in June for wins over Zambia and Chad.

Ivory Coast know that two wins against the Leone Stars will seal their progression to the tournament, which takes place in Morocco at the end of next year. 

A statement by the Elephants read, “The Ivorian Football Federation informs the Press and the public that the player, Amad DIALLO, arrived in group on Monday October 7, 2024, as part of the 3rd and 4th Days of the CAN qualifiers Morocco 2025, is declared forfeit for health reasons.”

Diallo is the latest player within Erik ten Hag's ranks to withdraw from international duty with their respective nations. 

Argentina's Alejandro Garnacho, England's Kobbie Mainoo and Morocco's Noussair Mazraoui are the other players left out as a precaution. 

Diallo has made 10 appearances for United this season in all competitions, scoring once in his side's 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the start of the 2024-25 campaign. 

However, he has yet to fully nail down a starting berth, with Ten Hag so far rotating his wide options with Garnacho and Marcus Rashford.

Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti believes Daniel Maldini has been the creative spark the national side has been lacking ahead of their Nations League clash with Belgium. 

Maldini could follow in the footsteps of his father, Paolo, and grandfather Cesare, both former Italy captains, should he represent the Azzurri at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday. 

The 22-year-old came through the ranks at Milan, managing 24 appearances in all competitions and scoring once, but spent three seasons out on loan from 2022 to 2024. 

Maldini spent the second half of last season on loan with Monza before making his move permanent in July, netting five goals in 19 outings to help Raffaele Palladino's side to a 12th place finish in Serie A. 

Now under the guidance of Alessandro Nesta, Maldini has begun to flourish, completing more dribbles (12) than any of his team-mates in the league so far. 

The young Italian was one of four players given their senior call-up by Spalletti for their Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Israel, with the Monza forward replacing Lazio's Matteo Zaccagni. 

And Spalletti is confident Maldini can make an impact, saying: "He is the (kind of) player we were missing."

Italy come into the contest off the back of an impressive opening to their Nations League A2 group, beating Israel and France last month. 

After a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign that saw them lose to Switzerland in the round of 16, Spalletti insisted that their encounter against Belgium is crucial to their development.

"We will immediately become a great team in every match where we will be able to give the best of ourselves," Spalletti said.

"It is a crucial match for our future."

Spalletti, however, has his eyes set on the 2026 World Cup, a tournament the Azzurri have won on four occasions throughout their history. 

But Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 editions of the competition, but have since won the European Championships against England in 2021 under Roberto Mancini. 

While Spalletti signified the importance of the World Cup's influence on the Azzurri's illustrious history, he said his players must focus on each game as it comes. 

"It is a tournament that has determined our history, it has made many people happy," Spalletti concluded. 

Pernille Harder's hat-trick handed Bayern Munich a winning start to their Women's Champions League campaign, beating Arsenal 5-2 in Group C. 

Harder, who scored 24 times in 48 appearances for Arsenal's London rivals Chelsea, once again haunted the Gunners, striking her first goals in the competition in almost two years.

After three games in the Women’s Super League, Arsenal sit sixth, having won once and drawn twice, with the latest defeat piling more pressure on head coach Jonas Eidevall. 

The Gunners started brightly and took the lead in the 30th minute when Katie McCabe's delivery was swept home by Mariona Caldentey. 

However, the hosts drew level two minutes before the break when Georgia Stanway's searching ball picked out the head of captain Glodis Viggosdottir, who towered over her marker to loop the ball beyond Manuela Zinsberger. 

Bayern then took the lead in the 56th minute as a fast break saw Sydney Lohmann finish at the near post, only for Eidevall's side to respond nine minutes later when McCabe's corner was headed home by Laia Codina. 

But the German champions found themselves back in front soon after with a corner routine of their own, with Harder netting her first of the encounter with a header from Carolin Simon's cross. 

The Dane then notched her second with another well-taken header, before sealing her treble with an effort from close range, despite the best efforts of Zinsberger. 

Harder recorded a staggering 1.59 expected goals (xG) tally of 1.59 to Bayern's 1.89 total, with Arsenal wasteful with their chances, with six of their nine shots on target but unable to trouble Maria Grohs for the most part. 

Elsewhere in the other early kick-off, Hammarby recorded a historic 2-0 victory over Austrian side St. Polten at the Tele2 Arena for their first triumph in the group stage of the competition. 

Vilde Hasund handed the hosts an early lead in the 18th minute with a brilliantly taken finish, striking the ball low into the bottom corner following Ellen Wangerheim's lay-off. 

The victory was sealed two minutes from time by substitute Cathinka Tandberg, who took a touch and placed the ball beyond Carina Schluter to put them top of Group D ahead of Manchester City's star-studded clash with Barcelona. 

After much contemplation and being torn between representing the Three Lions of England or donning the Jamaican colours, defender Mason Holgate has finally made his decision and it is the Reggae Boyz that will have his full allegiance moving forward.

The 27-year-old, who qualifies to represent Jamaica through his grandparents, has officially committed his international future to the Caribbean nation, a choice that brought a wave of excitement to fans and team members alike.

For Holgate, the decision was far from easy given his upbringing in England and years of competing in the English football system.

In a previous interview, Holgate said he was open to representing Jamaica, while in another he expressed optimism about an England call-up, noting that "everybody wants to play for England. When you're a kid, that's the ultimate.”

Yet, it is his Jamaican roots that eventually pulled at Holgate’s heartstrings, and he is now set to make his debut with the senior Reggae Boyz in their upcoming Concacaf Nations League fixture against Honduras at the National Stadium on Monday.

Though he is with the squad in Nicaragua for their Group B top-of-the-table clash in League A, Holgate will sit out that contest as the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) awaits clearance from FIFA.

Still, Holgate is brimming with excitement.

“I am really excited to be part of the team, and I can't wait to get out there for my first game,” Holgate declared.

“My grandparents on my dad’s side are Jamaican, and so much of who I am is connected to this place. There's obviously a lot to look forward to in this team, so I'm excited to be here.  Obviously, the boys made me feel quite welcome straight away, so, I've enjoyed the day or so that I've been here so far,” he added.

Holgate’s path to international football has been a unique one. He started his career at Barnsley before making the move to Everton, where he spent several seasons honing his skills in the English Premier League (EPL).

During that time, he earned caps for England at the youth level, featuring for the Under-20 and Under-21 teams. The senior call, however, never materialized, and that left him at a crossroads regarding his international future.

The tipping point for Holgate came as he watched Jamaica’s gradual improvement in recent years, particularly where the make-up of the team is concerned in their push for World Cup qualification.

Seeing the likes of former Everton teammate Demarai Gray, West Ham United’s Michail Antonio, Leicester City’s Bobby Reid, and others demonstrate their unflinching desire to bring success to Jamaica’s football made it clear to Holgate that he could play a pivotal role in helping the Reggae Boyz reach the next level.

“I got on really well with Dimmy [Gray], and since we both left Everton, obviously he moved to Saudi Arabia, so I haven’t seen him for a year or so now. But we're good friends; we speak all the time, so I was really looking forward to seeing him, and when I got here and saw him, I was buzzing,” Holgate shared.

“But, yeah, I've been in the Premier League and the Championship going on League One for 10 years, so quite a lot of the boys, I know from just playing against and stuff like that. So it's been quite easy for me to come in because I've played against and knew quite a lot of them before,” the West Bromwich Albion loanee stated.

Holgate’s experience at the highest level of English football will undoubtedly be a boost to Jamaica’s defensive ranks, and his versatility across the backline makes him a valuable asset as Englishman Steve McClaren looks to fortify his squad with a 2026 FIFA World Cup appearance in mind.

“I think it's just a very exciting time to be part of the team. Obviously, with the new manager who's done so much before in football, and also, if you look at the squad, it gets better and it seems to look stronger every camp. We all have the goal of going to the World Cup, and that's what I want to do, and that's why I am here, and I believe that I can help get us to that point,” Holgate ended.

England have called up uncapped pair Curtis Jones and Tino Livramento to their squad for this week's Nations League matches.

Liverpool midfielder Jones and Newcastle United full-back Livramento have both been part of the senior squad before without being used.

England confirmed the news on Wednesday and added Harry Kane is continuing his individualised programme, while Jack Grealish sat out of training with a knock.

Morgan Gibbs-White, Ezri Konsa and Kobbie Mainoo have each pulled out of the squad since it was announced after sustaining injuries over the weekend.

The Three Lions host Greece at Wembley on Thursday and then travel to Helsinki to face Finland three days later, with both fixtures coming in Group B2.

Jones is well known to interim England head coach Lee Carsley, with only two players having been used more under him for the Under-21s in the Three Lions squad for this week's fixtures.

The 23-year-old played 14 times at that level for England under Carsley, level with Anthony Gordon and behind Noni Madueke (19) and Angel Gomes (16). 

He was included as part of Gareth Southgate's provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024, a year on from scoring the winner in the Euro Under-21 Championship final, but did not make the final cut.

Livramento, meanwhile, was part of the squad for last month's victories over Republic of Ireland and Finland but did not receive his maiden cap.

The former Chelsea player has featured nine times for Newcastle this season and has helped his club side to three clean sheets, most recently in last weekend's 0-0 draw at Everton.

With momentum by no means in their favour, Trinidad and Tobago’s interim Head coach Derek King and captain Aubrey David are optimistic that the Soca Warriors might have saved their best for last as they face a must-win situation against Cuba in their upcoming Concacaf Nations League encounters.

Rooted at the foot of Group B in League A with a point, the Soca Warriors will have to take Cuba’s scalp in hostile territory on Thursday and again in the Twin Island Republic on Monday to not only improve their chances of progressing to the quarterfinals, but more importantly, avoid relegation to League B.

Jamaica and Nicaragua are set for a top-of-the-table clash as both head the standings on four points each, with Honduras (three points) and Cuba (two points) in close proximity. French Guiana, also on a point, round out the group.

After suffering a 0-4 loss away to Honduras in their opening fixture, Trinidad and Tobago were expected to rebound at home against French Guiana. Instead, they were held to a goalless stalemate, and that has left them in their current predicament.

Still, King is hopeful that the addition of experienced midfielders Joevin Jones, Kevin Molino, and others will turn their fortunes and prove rewarding where securing six crucial points is concerned. 

“The guys are fully aware of the task at hand; we had discussions, and we all know that we need six points. But let us focus on this very important game first. We have to go out there and give it our best shot and get three points to go back home with,” King said in an interview with TTFA Media from the team’s base in Cuba.

“We had a locally-based team training for two and a half weeks, so we decided that we would go with some of the locally-based players and add some foreign-based players who were not with the team before. I think the guys we added would bring some kind of experience to the unit we have at this point. 

“They are senior men to the team. They have played overseas as well, professional players. So, I think it's good to add their knowledge with this bunch. They will add some quality to the team as well, so we must go out there and give it our best,” he added.

Meanwhile, David, who is charged with marshalling the Soca Warriors defensive line, is mindful that Cuba will also fancy their chances of progressing and, as such, are not going to be a walkover.

“Cuba has a lot of foreign players; they have players who play in Costa Rica, in Guatemala, and the USA as well. Basically, they have a young team, but they’re willing to fight. They’re hungry and want to prove themselves because they’re at home,” David assessed.

“So it’s just for us to be together and execute our game plan so that we can leave here with three points.

“We have a lot of young players as well, and some with quality. I think they stepped up in the last Nations League; we saw a lot of them jumping onto the international scene and making a big impact, so it’s just for them to continue on that momentum,” he noted.

Former United States boss Gregg Berhalter has been named as the new director of football and head coach of MLS side Chicago Fire. 

Berhalter was sacked as the USMNT head coach nine days after a dismal group-stage exit at the Copa America earlier this year.

The 51-year-old's arrival means Frank Klopas, who is the Fire's current head coach, will step down and transition into a new role as the club's vice president of football.

Berhalter does have previous experience in the MLS, spending five years in charge of the Columbus Crew between 2013 and 2018.

Across his 192 games in charge of the Crew, Berhalter won 76 matches (D46 L70), with his team scoring 287 goals and averaging a win percentage of 38.34%. 

Berhalter then began his first stint as the USMNT head coach in 2018, starting strongly with victories over rivals Mexico in the first-ever Nations League final as well as in the showpiece match of the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

He then guided the USMNT to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup before they were beaten 3-1 by the Netherlands. 

Berhalter's contract expired in December 2022, but was then brought back six months later with a view to guiding the team through to the 2026 World Cup, which the United States would co-host with Canada and Mexico.

However, Berhalter lasted just 14 games, winning seven of those (D1 L6) and has since been replaced by former Chelsea head coach, Mauricio Pochettino. 

The 51-year-old arrives at an underperforming Chicago side, who currently occupy last place in the Eastern Conference with one game of the regular season remaining. 

The Fire have reached the MLS Cup playoffs just twice in the last 15 years, with this campaign the seventh consecutive season they have failed to feature in the post-season. 

“I’m honoured to be named Director of Football and Head Coach of the Chicago Fire, and I would like to thank Joe Mansueto for his trust," said Berhalter.

“Chicago is an incredible city, built on communities of hard-working and passionate people who truly love soccer.

"I look forward to working alongside our staff and players to transform the Fire into a world-class organisation that all our fans and the city can be proud of and will support.”

Berhalter will officially start his duties for the 2025 MLS season. 

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is expected to be out for at least seven games after sustaining a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace.

The Brazilian went off in the 79th minute of Liverpool's 1-0 victory at Selhurst Park on Saturday and, according to widespread reports, is likely to be sidelined until at least the November international break.

Alisson was replaced by Premier League debutant Vitezslav Jaros against Palace as Caoimhin Kelleher missed that game through illness.

Kelleher deputised earlier in the season when Alisson was sidelined by a different hamstring injury, and is set to do so again, having recovered to join up with the Republic of Ireland national team.

Alisson also immediately pulled out of Brazil's squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers before having his scans.

"Alisson is our clear No. 1, the best goalkeeper in the world, so it's a blow when he gets injured for himself and the team," Slot said after the match on Saturday.

"We have a second option that's already good. Caoimhin has already shown that, which is why Caoimhin is the No. 2, and the last time Alisson was injured, I played Caoimhin."

The Reds have made a flying start to the season, winning nine of their 10 matches in all competitions.

However, they will likely have to navigate Premier League matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton, who they also face in the EFL Cup, and Aston Villa without their usual number one, as well as Champions League meetings with RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen.  

Leandro Trossard will be trying to bring his Arsenal form into the international break after coming back into the Belgium squad this month.

The 29-year-old has scored two goals in seven Premier League appearances for the Gunners and is enjoying a positive start to the season.

He has the joint second-best conversion rate (20%) of any Arsenal player to have featured in every league game, with his goals having come from 10 shots.

He also ranks third in the squad for expected goals (xG) generated (1.46) and has averaged 0.15 xG per shot.

When asked about how he has performed so far for his club, Trossard was pleased with how things were going.

"I feel good, yes," he said. "Is this my best form ever? I dare not say, but I think I'm performing quite consistently at Arsenal."

Trossard has played a variety of positions for the club this season, following an injury to captain Martin Odegaard. While his preferred position is on the left, he has also worked well with Kai Havertz as a second attacker.

With Jeremy Doku likely to take the left-hand side for his national team, Trossard could be used centrally to cover for the absence of the injured Kevin De Bruyne.

"That hasn't been discussed with the coach yet, but that will become clear today or tomorrow," Trossard said.

"I don't know yet what position I will play, but it's always nice to be played in your best position. At the European Championship, for example, I had to fill many roles."

Trossard's inclusion in the Belgium squad came after manager Domenico Tedesco surprisingly left him out in September.

They face Italy and France in the Nations League Group A2 over the course of the international break, while the Arsenal man explained he was relaxed about not featuring last month.

"[Tedesco] said he knew my qualities, wanted to try out new guys and give them some experience,” he said.

“The Nations League offers the opportunity for that. I agreed to that. It was a good agreement."

Manchester City captain Alex Greenwood is excited by the challenge that competing in the Champions League will bring to the club as they aim to win it for the first time.

They face Barcelona at home on Wednesday in their opening match in Group D, having failed make it past the qualifying rounds in the previous two years.

City ensured they would avoid the same fate this time around though, with an emphatic 8-0 aggregate victory over Paris FC.

The significance of being in the competition was not lost on Greenwood.

"It's the pinnacle to win the Champions League. To win this competition is another level," she said.

"It's exciting. I'm looking forward to that. We belong here, we've missed out and been frustrated by that."

Barcelona have won the tournament in three of the last four seasons, while they were beaten finalists in 2021-22, losing 3-1 to Lyon.

City last faced the Spanish giants in their last appearance in the competition, losing 4-2 on aggregate in the 2020-21 quarter-final before Barcelona went on to win their first Champions League.

Despite being knocked out, City did win 2-1 in the home leg in 2021. Of the team that played that day, only England team-mates Greenwood and Chloe Kelly remain at the club.

"I don't remember it clearly, but I do remember the game," said Greenwood.

"Our team has changed so much since then. The way we prepare is different, we look different now and are a lot more prepared."

One familiar face who could line up against Manchester City on Wednesday is Keira Walsh, who moved from them to Barcelona for a then world-record transfer fee of approximately £400,000 in September 2022.

"I could speak about Keira all day, she’s an incredible footballer," said Greenwood.

"What she does off the ball and on the ball, she's an incredible player. She's improved and added assists to her game, hopefully not tomorrow!"

Meanwhile, Gareth Taylor believes his club are about to face the biggest challenge they possibly could.

"I would say they are the best team in the world, especially over the period of the last four or five years," he said.

"Barcelona have really dominated this last three-year period. In terms of that taking the pressure off us, not at all. We've worked tremendously hard to be here.

"The cream always rises to the top. We want to see the best players on the best stage and this is what it is."

England have made a bright start to life without Gareth Southgate, putting in impressive displays to win both of their Nations League openers against Republic of Ireland and Finland in September.

With a permanent replacement still yet to be announced for the national team, Lee Carsley will again be in the dugout this week aiming to maintain his 100% record.

With the aim to gain promotion back to League A, Carsley is set to come up against his toughest test yet given that England are not in the driving seat in their current group.

Greece sit above them in the table, with a superior goal difference and are on a three-match winning streak in all competitions.

But having disappointed in their previous Nations League campaign, England will be determined to put things right and avoid a slip-up in front of the home fans.

Using Opta data, we delve into the key talking points ahead of Thursday's clash at Wembley.

What's expected?

The Three Lions put on an attacking show against Ireland and Finland, having a collective total of 38 shots and accumulating 4.3 expected goals (xG) across both matches.

So it is perhaps no surprise that England are favourites going into this one, with the Opta supercomputer giving them a 75.1% chance of victory.

Greece, on the other hand, are only given a 10.2% chance of causing an upset, while the likelihood of getting a draw sits at 14.6%.

History is certainly on England's side as they have never lost any of their nine meetings with Greece in all competitions (W7 D2), keeping a clean sheet in seven of those matches.

Greece have, however, drawn their last two competitive away matches against England, most recently 2-2 in a World Cup qualifier in October 2001. They led that match twice before David Beckham's famous 90th-minute free-kick sent the Three Lions to the 2002 World Cup.

Staking his claim

Carsley isn't keen to answer questions about his long-term future with England, but he is certainly doing his chances of getting the full-time job no harm.

In fact, he is aiming to be the first England manager to win his first three competitive matches in charge since Fabio Capello in October 2008. If the team can keep another clean sheet, he will be the first ever to do so without conceding.

The interim manager also has some familiar faces available again after illness and injury prevented Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham from linking up with the squad last time around.

Palmer has started the Premier League season in scintillating form, with six goals to his name already.

Since his Chelsea debut last September, he has been involved in more goals in the competition than any other player (44 – 28 goals, 16 assists), and he is surely pushing for just his third England start.

Carsley could go with Bellingham for this game though, which would move him outright second for the most England appearances before turning 22 (currently 36, level with Marcus Rashford), after Wayne Rooney (40).

While England's attack is often the main focus, Carsley's defensive record is nothing to be dismissed. At the 2023 U21 Euros, his side did not concede a single goal, and he has carried that record into the senior team, albeit only facing eight shots across the first two matches.

Kyle Walker provides a welcome boost at the back as he returns to the squad and, if he is given the nod at right-back in this game, he will have made the joint-fifth most appearances for England at Wembley (currently 37).

He would have to unseat Trent Alexander-Arnold for that to happen, with the Liverpool right-back having created five chances against Finland. That is the third time he has created five or more chances in an England game since the start of 2019, with no other player doing so on more than one occasion.

Top of the pile 

England may have won 16 of their last 21 competitive outings on home soil (D2 L3), including each of the last five, but Greece will certainly be no pushovers.

After three seasons in League C, they managed to gain promotion and have taken to their new league with consecutive wins to top the table.

Since the inaugural Nations League in 2018-19, no team has won more games in the competition than Greece (W13 D3 L4).

They also boast the best defensive record in the tournament's history, conceding the fewest goals (eight) and keeping the most clean sheets (14).

Greece are, however, winless in their last 12 matches against nations in the top five of the FIFA rankings (D6 L6) - a run that stretches back to a 1-0 win over France en route to their Euro 2004 title.

Having drawn 2-2 against France in November 2023 - their most recent fixture against any team currently in the top five - there is a small body of evidence of their ability to compete against the best.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

England – Harry Kane

England captain Harry Kane has scored 26 goals in 26 competitive home appearances for the Three Lions, scoring in each of his last six such outings (nine goals).

Only Steve Bloomer (1895-1899) and Wayne Rooney (2012-2015) have ever scored in seven straight competitive home games for the nation. Having scored twice against Finland last time out in the Nations League, he will be keen to keep his run going.

Greece – Fotis Ioannidis

Only Slovenia's Benjamin Sesko (four) scored more goals than Fotis Ioannidis (three) across the opening two matchdays of the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League.

He has also scored five goals in his last six international appearances. But Ioannidis is a major doubt for this fixture, having hobbled off just before half-time for Panathinaikos against Olympiacos on Sunday.

Jack Grealish thinks that he should have been part of England's Euro 2024 squad.

Grealish was initially called up for the Three Lions' 33-man training squad, but was one of seven players who did not make the final squad for Germany.

England reached the final, losing 2-1 to Spain.

The 29-year-old has been back in the fold under interim manager Lee Carsley, and impressed in September's Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.

"I will be honest with you, I didn’t really agree with it," Grealish told BBC Radio 5 Live of Gareth Southgate's decision not to include him among the final 26 players.

"You need a bit of a balance in every position on the pitch and I class myself [as] quite an experienced player now.

"I have won a lot of stuff now so, you asked me should I have gone, yes, I still think I should have, but obviously it wasn't meant to be."

Grealish started just 10 league matches for Manchester City in the 2023-24 season, scoring three goals and providing one assist.

While he admitted that he "didn’t have the best season" domestically, he was left "devastated" by his omission and said that missing out on Euro 2024 was "probably the most difficult period of my life".

Grealish scored in England's 2-0 victory over Ireland in Dublin last month, and will be hoping for more of the same against Greece and Finland in the coming week. 

Asked if he felt he had a point to prove, Grealish made it clear that he wanted to show people what England were missing at Euro 2024.

"Of course, I wanted to come here and train well and play well," he said.

"I thank Lee Carsley for giving me that chance and having that trust in me.

"It obviously really meant a lot. I think throughout my career when I have played under managers who have shown trust in me and communicated with me the way he has the last two camps, it really helps me.

"It makes me feel that the manager really does rate me and I can't speak highly enough of him since I have been here."