Thomas Tuchel provides Cole Palmer injury update ahead of England v Albania | Football

Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Cole Palmer will play no part in England’s upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Albania and Latvia.

Palmer was included in England’s 26-man party as Tuchel named his first squad since being appointed as head coach of the Three Lions last week.

But the 22-year-old Chelsea attacker, who scored in last year’s European Championship final, has been struggling for form and fitness of late and was always considered a doubt for this month’s double-header at Wembley.

Palmer came down with an illness prior to the Blues’ recent win over Leicester and was substituted in the 73rd minute by Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge.

The former Manchester City man subsequently played no part in Chelsea’s trip to Arsenal last weekend after picking up a muscle injury in training and will not be considered for selection by Tuchel.

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‘Cole will not be with us. He was not on the pitch with Chelsea,’ the newly appointed England boss told reporters this afternoon.

‘We’ve waited quite a while now for feedback and for the chance, maybe, to call him up.

‘But he’s not on the pitch and not available. It makes no sense to call him up now.

‘We stay with this group that we have. Everybody is in training today, all 26 players, so it gives us the full choice.

‘Hopefully nothing happens in this training session and we will have to tough choices to make for tomorrow.’

Tuchel has enjoyed his first training camp in charge of England and is feeling a ‘buzz’ within his group ahead of their World Cup qualifying campaign.

‘I have felt the excitement in the camp. There is a buzz for the first match tomorrow. I have to make people believe in me,’ the German explained.

‘I missed it [management] a lot. It’s a unique energy in a football team and in a dressing room.

‘It was very nice to see they spend a lot of time together.’

While 61 places separate England and Albania in the official world rankings, Tuchel is keen not to underestimate the opposition.

‘I think offensively we try implement out style, structure and rhythm,’ the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich head coach added.

‘Put players into positions where they feel comfortable and express themselves, hopefully to their full potential.

‘In modern football and the quality of the opponent, Albania, and the respect you have to give every opponent, especially off the ball it is necessary we stay open to adapt, be it in structure-wise or in the line-up and do what is needed.’

Tuchel continued: ‘I don’t think we can be ignorant and say we do what we want and we do what we do and everyone else will adapt to us.

‘This will happen but everyone will try to find a solution against us and that is why we want to adapt off the ball.’

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