World Cup: Gary Neville says Thomas Tuchel should drop two England stars

Former Manchester United player Gary Neville has urged England manager Thomas Tuchel to consider dropping Anthony Gordon and Djed Spence for the final group‑stage match against Panama in the 2026 World Cup.

After two matches in North America, the Three Lions sit atop their group but have not yet joined the teams that have already secured automatic qualification for the Round of 32.

England opened the tournament with a 4‑2 win over Croatia, then finished the second game with a goalless draw against Ghana.

In a Sky Sports interview, Neville said Tuchel should rethink his left‑side strategy, arguing that Morgan Rogers would be more useful than Gordon against Panama, especially if the North American side adopts a defensive low block in Saturday’s match.

He stated, “I don’t want to criticize Anthony Gordon too harshly because I believe he is a talented player. He has faced two challenging games, but I didn’t think Marcus Rashford should be positioned on that left side.”

“I genuinely believe it should be Morgan Rogers. I am in favor of Morgan Rogers playing from that left side. I think we need someone who can connect better on that flank for us.”

“Someone with greater game intelligence. Rashford and Gordon possess explosive qualities. They are the type of players you would want on the pitch for counter‑attacks, but if Panama proves to be tough to break down, we will require players who can offer more creativity and subtlety in their play.”

“I have a lot of respect for Djed Spence; I see that he works diligently, but I think Nico O’Reilly will likely return to the lineup. Therefore, I would prefer to see Nico O’Reilly and Morgan Rogers on that left side,” he added.

Gordon started both of England’s matches, while Spence began only the game against Ghana.

A draw against Panama would be sufficient for England to progress to the Round of 32.