Serbia vs England live: Team news and line-ups ahead of World Cup qualifier

Tonight’s hosts have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four matches, and haven’t conceded on home soil since a 2-2 draw with Bulgaria in November 2023, playing five times at home since.

Can England break down Serbia and secure the points?

Serbia have won each of their last two games – both in World Cup qualification.

They last won three competitive fixtures in a row in November 2021.

Declan Rice has had a hand in seven goals in his last 12 appearances for England (three goals, four assists).

He had been involved in just three goals in his first 55 international appearances (three goals, no assists).

The first thing the England players are likely to notice is “the banging”, “the noise”, especially as they embark down that famously long tunnel. It’s certainly what Harry Kane remembers, as one of the few squad members to have played in the Marakana.

“Pretty hostile environment,” Kane smiles now. “Just walking from the changing room to the pitch. It feels like a mile-long walk. There are a lot of fans, you hear a lot of noise, a lot of banging. That was pretty hostile.”

Harry Kane has scored an away goal against 15 different opponents in his international career, with only Wayne Rooney netting against more different nations in away matches (16).

The Three Lions’ captain has played at this venue before in Belgrade, having four shots to no avail for Spurs vs Crvena Zvezda in the 2019-20 Champions League.

During his Premier League career, Aleksandar Mitrovic had more shots against Jordan Pickford than any other goalkeeper (24 – six on target) but failed to score with any of them.

The striker has however scored eight goals across his last seven starts in World Cup qualifying.

Thomas Tuchel could become just the fourth manager to win each of his first five competitive games in charge of England after Fabio Capello (first eight), Ron Greenwood (first six) and Sven-Goran Eriksson (first five).

Serbia XI: Petrovic, Erakovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Nedeljkovic, Maksimovic, Lukic, Birmcevic; Zivkovic, Ilic; Vlahovic

Subs: Rosic, Illic, Gudelj, Jovic, Mitrovic, Kostic, Veljkovic, Babic, Stulic, Racci, Samardzic, Katai

England haven’t conceded in any of their last six competitive fixtures and could tie their longest ever run of clean sheets in such games

They previously kept seven in a row between October 1988 and October 1989 under Sir Bobby Robson.

Thomas Tuchel makes four changes to the starting XI that faced Andorra last time out.

Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dan Burn drop out of the defensive line with Tino Livramento and Ezri Konsa taking their places.

Further up the pitch Marcus Rashford and Eberechi Eze have been benched with Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers getting the nod to start.

Elliot Anderson keeps his place after impressing on his debut last Saturday.