England Look to Bounce Back Against Japan as Tuchel Welcomes Back Star Names

Thomas Tuchel will be determined to end England's international break on a high after the Three Lions squandered victory against Uruguay on Thursday evening. Ben White's opening goal appeared to have secured the win, but the Arsenal defender's penalty concession in the 94th minute allowed Real Madrid's Fede Valverde to level for the South Americans.

The silver lining for Tuchel is that his squad rotation strategy means he can call upon significant reinforcements for the trip back to Wembley. Having named 35 players across the two matches, the England boss deliberately rested key figures for the Uruguay encounter. Now Harry Kane, Marc Guehi and Elliot Anderson return to the fold, though Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have been ruled out pending medical assessment.

Japan arrive at Wembley on the back of a 1-0 victory at Hampden Park against Scotland on Saturday, with substitute Junya Ito grabbing the winner. Manager Hajime Moriyasu rotated his entire outfield for that success, suggesting the Samurai Blue can manage the tight turnaround despite playing just 48 hours after their Scottish assignment.

The Setup

Kick-off comes at 19:45 GMT on Tuesday, March 31, with ITV1 and ITVX providing live coverage from 19:00. BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT will offer full match commentary.

England's expected line-up sees Jordan Pickford return in goal, with a back four of Tino Livramento, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa and O'Reilly. James Garner may get another midfield outing with Rice absent, whilst Kane leads the line with Anthony Gordon on the left and Morgan Rogers competing with Jude Bellingham for the number ten berth. Elliot Anderson completes the midfield alongside Garner.

Japan will likely stick with their 3-4-2-1 formation, with Kaoru Mitoma and Junya Ito operating behind striker Ayase Ueda. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo remains sidelined with a long-term injury picked up during Sunderland's February clash with the Reds.

The Numbers Tell a Story

England hold an unbeaten record against Japan across three previous meetings, winning 2-1 in both the 1995 Umbro Cup and a 2010 friendly, with a 1-1 draw in 2004. No Asian nation has previously defeated England in ten attempts (four draws, six defeats).

The Three Lions have now scored in 21 consecutive matches across all competitions since a goalless Euro 2024 draw with Slovenia, their longest such run since 1902-1910. Kane has contributed 10 goals across his last 10 international appearances and could notch a brace in successive games for the first time since November 2021.

However, England have won just two of their last seven friendlies, having rattled off 12 consecutive victories between 2018 and 2023.

Japan, meanwhile, have emerged as a genuine threat to European opposition. They've won six of their last seven matches against European nations, including a stunning 4-1 demolition of Germany. Since March 2024, the Samurai Blue have played 20 internationals, winning 14, drawing four and losing just twice. Recent scalps include Brazil, Ghana and Bolivia.

Ito's recent form has been particularly sharp, boasting four goal involvements across his last three caps following the Scotland winner.

The Verdict

Despite England's star power returning, this figures to be a sterner test than the odds might suggest. Japan have proven themselves far more than a makeweight opponent, and their European record speaks volumes. England are 4/7 to win, but backing them to claim victory by a single goal at 13/5 looks the shrewder play in what should be a competitive encounter.

Kane, who has amassed a remarkable 53 goals across 45 appearances for club and country this season, is available at 7/5 to score—reasonable odds given his prolific form.