Livramento Ruled Out of World Cup
England suffered a setback with right-back Tino Livramento ruled out through injury, prompting Trevoh Chalobah's inclusion in the squad, reports David Ornstein.
Livramento endured an injury-hit campaign, suffering two separate knee injuries as well as hamstring and thigh issues that limited him to 24 appearances for Newcastle United.
The player had the possibility to play for England in the World Cup after the inclusion of his name in the squad by Thomas Tuchel, but the player suffered another injury during the training session ahead of the opener against Croatia.
Chalobah Earns Late Call-Up
So Tuchel decided not to take a risk with the fullback and called Trevoh Chalobah of Chelsea to replace him. The player will join the squad ahead of the opening match, but he is not expected to feature in the game.
Why Tuchel Chose Chalobah
Tuchel decided to pick Trevoh Chalobah to replace Livramento instead of choosing a traditional fullback. It is because the manager values versatility on a big stage like the World Cup; Chalobah can play as a center back, right back, and defensive midfielder for the team with his impressive quality and discipline on the ball and recover pace.
He is one of the favorite players of England manager Thomas Tuchel from his time at Chelsea. Tuchel gave the senior debut for Chalobah at Chelsea back in 2021 and called him up for the English national team last summer for the first time in the player's career.
England Still Have Defensive Depth
Reece James, Djed Spence, and Nico O’Reilly are the natural fullback options on the English side, along with Jarrell Quansah, Chalobah, and Ezri Konsa, who can play as fullbacks.