Jamie Carragher has taken direct aim at England manager Thomas Tuchel, arguing that the decision to leave Cole Palmer out of the squad has left the Three Lions without the creative spark needed to unlock stubborn defences — a flaw painfully exposed during Tuesday's FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage encounter against Ghana.

England arrived in the match on the back of a commanding 4-2 win over Croatia, with a place as Group L winners within reach. Yet despite their momentum, Tuchel's side struggled throughout to find a way through a disciplined Ghana backline that operated in a tight 4-1-4-1 shape and yielded next to nothing in terms of clear-cut chances.

Palmer's absence front of mind

Carragher, speaking to Sky Sports after the final whistle, was unequivocal. He said the absence of Palmer became more conspicuous with every passing minute, particularly as England's coaching staff looked to the bench for inspiration and found none.