England will hope to return to winning ways against Finland following their stunning home loss to Greece.
In the UEFA Nations League, Finland will face England on Sunday in Helsinki, with both teams looking for redemption following recent defeats. England, under pressure after a 2-1 loss to Greece, will aim to bounce back against Finland, who themselves were beaten by the same scoreline by the Republic of Ireland. Both sides will be hungry for points in League B Group 2. But England’s need for a response after a disheartening performance at Wembley adds extra urgency to the fixture.
Finland’s form has been worrying in recent times, as the Eagle-owls have yet to pick up a point in the current Nations League campaign. They started positively in their last game against Ireland, with Joel Pohjanpalo putting them ahead, but a second-half collapse saw them lose 2-1. Finland have now conceded multiple goals in five consecutive games, highlighting their defensive vulnerabilities. Their inability to keep clean sheets — no shutout in their last eight matches—could spell trouble when they come up against England’s attacking talents.
Markku Kanerva’s side have struggled to gain momentum and confidence, as the spectre of relegation looms in League B. Finland’s challenge on Sunday will be to shore up their leaky defence while finding a way to overcome their offensive struggles, as they have scored just once in three Nations League fixtures. Despite home advantage, Finland must put up an extraordinary fight to prevent England from exploiting their weaknesses.
England manager Lee Carsley is under pressure to deliver a much-improved performance following their shock 2-1 loss to Greece. A tactically disjointed Three Lions were unable to deal with the intensity and quality of the Greeks, with Vangelis Pavlidis’s double securing Greece’s first-ever win over England. Jude Bellingham’s equaliser provided a brief spark, but Carsley’s decision to experiment with a striker-less formation left his side out of sync and struggling to create meaningful chances.
With three points separating England from Greece in the standings, the Three Lions must secure a win in Finland to keep pace in the group. However, Carsley’s tactical decisions will come under scrutiny again. A return to a more familiar system featuring a traditional striker may be necessary to overcome Finland’s porous defence.
Given their talent and attacking options, England should have the firepower to break down Finland, but recent defensive lapses and tactical missteps have left fans questioning their consistency. The Hard Tackle delves into the potential elevens and tactics for this highly-anticipated clash.
Team News & Tactics
Finland
Finland will head into their clash against England with no fresh injury concerns from their narrow defeat to Ireland. However, they are missing Sparta Prague midfielder Kaan Kairinen, who withdrew from the squad due to injury before the international break began.
Manager Markku Kanerva opted to start Joel Pohjanpalo over Teemu Pukki in their last match, and while the former performed well, the quick turnaround between games may see Finland’s all-time leading scorer, Pukki, return to the starting lineup for this important clash.
Finland is likely to set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. In goal, Bayer Leverkusen’s Lukas Hradecky will take his usual spot, providing a crucial last line of defence. At right-back, Adam Stahl should get the nod while Robert Ivanov will partner with Arttu Hoskonen in central defence, while Jere Uronen will play at left-back.
The two holding midfielders are expected to be Rasmus Schüller and Matti Peltola, who are tasked with protecting the backline and distributing the ball forward.
Ahead of them, Robin Lod will operate on the right wing, with Glen Kamara playing as the central attacking midfielder, and Oliver Antman will cover the left flank. Up front, Teemu Pukki is set to lead the attack as the lone striker, using his experience and clinical finishing to trouble the English defence.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Hradecky; Stahl, Hoskonen, Ivanov, Uronen; Schuller, Peltola; Lod, Kamara, Antman; Pukki
England
England face some major injury concerns heading into their UEFA Nations League fixture against Finland. Harry Kane remains a doubt after missing Thursday’s match against Greece due to an injury picked up while playing for Bayern Munich.
Even if fit, the England captain is only likely to make an appearance from the bench. This leaves Dominic Solanke or Ollie Watkins as the primary candidates to start as the lone striker, with Phil Foden possibly being sacrificed to make room for a traditional centre-forward.
The biggest concern for England comes with Bukayo Saka, who limped off with a hamstring injury in the second half against Greece. His absence should see Cole Palmer or Noni Madueke start on the right flank. Additionally, Jack Grealish is still a doubt, having missed Thursday’s game with a knock. Kyle Walker, Marc Guehi, and Conor Gallagher could all be in line for starts as Lee Carsley is expected to rotate his squad for the trip to Helsinki.
England are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Jordan Pickford will continue between the sticks as the first-choice goalkeeper. Kyle Walker is expected to slot in at right-back, while Marc Guehi and Levi Colwill are set to pair up at centre-back. On the left side of the defence, Rico Lewis will feature as the left-back, providing width and support in both defensive and offensive transitions.
In midfield, Declan Rice will anchor the double pivot alongside Conor Gallagher, who will bring energy and creativity. In the attacking midfield roles, Cole Palmer is expected to start on the right flank, with Jude Bellingham pulling the strings centrally, and Anthony Gordon providing pace and flair from the left. Up front, Ollie Watkins will lead the attack, tasked with finishing chances and linking up with the midfield.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Walker, Guehi, Colwill, Lewis; Rice, Gallagher; Palmer, Bellingham, Gordon; Watkins
Key Stats
- England have won ten out of the 12 meetings against Finland in all competitions, including a 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture earlier this year. Finland have never beaten England.
- Finland have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight matches across all competitions. They have conceded multiple goals in six of their last seven games, including each of their last five.
- England have won only two of their last five away games in all competitions. Their last away defeat came against Italy in the Nations League in June 2022.
- Finland have lost each of their last three home games, conceding a total of six goals while scoring only two. They have yet to score a goal at home in the current Nations League campaign.
Player to Watch
Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham has rapidly emerged as one of England’s best talents and continues to impress on the international stage. With his technical ability, vision, and goal-scoring prowess from midfield, Bellingham remains crucial to England’s attacking efforts.
In recent matches, he has demonstrated his importance by scoring three goals in his last five international appearances, including England’s only goal in their recent 2-1 defeat to Greece. His energy and versatility make him a constant threat, capable of unlocking defences with his intelligent runs and keen passing.
Against Finland, Bellingham will be expected to drive the team forward and create opportunities, especially with injuries affecting some of England’s attacking options. Whether threading passes or arriving late into the box, Bellingham’s all-around game will be key to England’s chances of bouncing back from their previous loss. Keep an eye on him to potentially dictate the tempo and lead England’s charge for a vital win.
Prediction
Finland 0-2 England
Despite their poor showing against Greece, England are expected to have too much quality for a Finland side that has struggled at both ends of the pitch. With match winners like Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer potentially leading the charge, England should secure a relatively comfortable win to get back on track in the Nations League. Finland’s defensive frailties are likely to be exposed once again, and England’s superior talent should see them through with a 2-0 victory in Helsinki.
