Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has advised England manager Thomas Tuchel to make bold personnel changes for the Three Lions’ final 2026 World Cup group stage match against Panama.
Following the opening two rounds of fixtures in North America, England sits at the top of Group L but has yet to officially join the nations that have secured automatic qualification for the Round of 32.
While a 4-2 victory over Croatia kicked off their campaign positively, a frustrating goalless draw against a resilient Ghana side has left qualification down to the final match day. Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville insisted that Tuchel must rethink his strategy on the left side of the pitch to avoid another stale performance.
“I don’t want to criticize Anthony Gordon too harshly because I believe he is a talented player… but 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… but if Panama proves to be tough to break down, we will require players who can offer more creativity and subtlety in their play.”Gary Neville said.
Neville calls for creativity over pace against defensive opponents
Neville’s primary tactical concern ahead of Saturday’s fixture is the likelihood of Panama deploying a stubborn, defensive low block. Anthony Gordon has started both of England’s tournament matches so far, but Neville believes his explosive, counter-attacking profile is ill-suited for an opponent that will deny England space in behind.
Instead of Gordon or Marcus Rashford, Neville strongly advocated for the inclusion of Morgan Rogers on the left wing. He argued that Rogers possesses the superior game intelligence, subtle creativity, and passing connectivity required to unlock a congested penalty area.
The pundit also called for a change at full-back, suggesting that Djed Spence should be dropped back to the bench. Spence was brought into the starting lineup against Ghana, but Neville expects youth prospect Nico O’Reilly to reclaim his spot. Neville concluded that a left-sided partnership of O’Reilly and Rogers would provide England with the necessary balance and technical fluidity to secure the result, where a simple draw would be enough to guarantee passage into the Round of 32.
