England midfielder Jude Bellingham is expected to start on the bench for Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Serbia, with Morgan Rogers set to take up the number 10 role. Meanwhile, Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly could make his senior international debut, and Marcus Rashford is poised to return to England’s attacking line-up.

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Bellingham’s Return After Injury

Bellingham, 22, has been absent from the past four England matches due to a combination of a shoulder injury and squad rotation. The Borussia Dortmund star underwent successful shoulder surgery in July 2025 and has been gradually reintegrated into the squad. Despite his recall for the fixtures against Serbia and Albania, manager Thomas Tuchel indicated that Bellingham may not start immediately as England, having already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, look to manage player fitness carefully.

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Midfield and Attacking Options

Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is expected to deputize in the number 10 role, though Tuchel noted the midfielder is carrying a slight hamstring issue and will require a late fitness assessment. Rogers has impressed while stepping in for Real Madrid’s Bellingham, creating a “friendly competition” for midfield positions ahead of the tournament next summer.

Alongside Rogers, Declan Rice and Elliott Anderson are likely to continue in central midfield. In attack, Bellingham’s Real Madrid teammate Bukayo Saka and captain Harry Kane are expected to start, with Rashford replacing the injured Anthony Gordon.

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Defence and Goalkeeper

Manchester City left-back Nico O’Reilly, 20, is set for his full England debut after a strong start to the season. He will join Reece James, Ezri Konsa, and John Stones in a back four. Jordan Pickford is expected to retain his position in goal.

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Squad Updates

Tuchel also confirmed that uncapped Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott has been left out of the squad for the Serbia match, despite receiving his first senior call-up last week following an impressive start to the season with the Cherries. Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi has also been omitted as he continues to recover from a foot injury.

Scott, 21, described his initial call-up as a “dream come true” and will remain in consideration for future matches.

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Next Fixture

Following the Serbia clash, England will travel to Albania for their final World Cup qualification game on Sunday, November 17, 2025. With the squad largely settled and the team already qualified, Tuchel is expected to use these matches to fine-tune his starting eleven and test emerging talents like O’Reilly and Rogers.