England manager Thomas Tuchel has made two alterations to the team's defensive unit for the upcoming World Cup match against Ghana. Djed Spence and Marc Guehi have been selected to start, replacing Nico O'Reilly and John Stones.
The changes come after England's 4-2 victory over Croatia in their opening World Cup fixture, a game in which the defense was identified as an area needing improvement. Guehi, who was controversially left out in favor of Stones for the Croatia game, now partners Ezri Konsa at center-back. O'Reilly, who had a quiet performance against Croatia, makes way for Spence, who impressed with his pace after coming on as a substitute and nearly scoring.
Despite the defensive adjustments, other areas of the team remain unchanged. Anthony Gordon retains his position on the wing, even after Marcus Rashford's impactful substitute appearance where he scored. Noni Madueke continues at right-wing, with Bukayo Saka not featuring due to missing a training session. Harry Kane will lead the attack, supported by a midfield trio of Jude Bellingham, Elliot Anderson, and Declan Rice.
Reece James is set to continue at right-back, and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will aim for a more assured performance. England can secure their place in the knockout stages with a win against Ghana, who secured a last-minute victory over Panama in their first match.