Palmer back in England squad with ‘a point to prove’

Thomas Tuchel says Cole Palmer is back in form and “has a point to prove” after being recalled to the England squad.

England manager Tuchel left the Chelsea star out of his squad for this year’s World Cup.

Palmer has since started the new season in impressive fashion and has been brought back into the fold along with Real Madrid’s former Liverpool man Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was also left out of the World Cup squad.

“They had a good start to the season. They never did something wrong. We just chose different players,” former Chelsea boss Tuchel said at a news conference on Friday morning.

“Cole has his start, he has his numbers back, he has his assists back, he has decisive goals back, so that is why he is in the squad. I think he has a point to prove and the same goes for Trent.”

England will play four Nations League matches – their first games since going out of the World Cup against Argentina.

Palmer’s Chelsea team-mate Morgan Rogers is also in the squad, as is the Ealing-born Bukayo Saka of Arsenal.

Tuchel faced criticism for his tactics during the second half of the Argentina game, as well as for leaving out the likes of Palmer.

But he insisted he has since “never had one sleepless night” about his selection.