England 2026 World Cup: Is it time for Thomas Tuchel to look for fringe benefits?

The Three Lions still have a job to do, knowing only victory will secure them top spot in the group.

Winning some groups is more beneficial than others, and England's is one of them.

The Group L winners will be one of eight who go through to play a third-placed team – at the time of writing most likely to be Ecuador in Atlanta on Wednesday. Drawing or losing whilst there is a clear winner between Ghana and Croatia will mean facing a fellow runner-up – unless they beat Colombia it will be Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal – in Toronto the day after.

Third place is impossible.

Germany sprang a surprise on Thursday with their status as group winners already confirmed thanks to FIFA's bad decision to change the first group tie-breaker from goal difference to head-to-head. Rather than field his fringe players, Julian Nagelsmann made only the two enforced changes, and lost anyway. Fellow German Tuchel will be acutely aware.

Nagelsmann was looking for momentum and cohesion for his team, but the make-up of England's squad is different – one of the deepest at this competition.

So whilst wholesale changes would send out a bad message against a Panama team who will be heading home after the New York game, a few personnel tweaks in search of a better formula could be just what is needed.

Kobbie Mainoo is yet to play a minute in the tournament and a fresh Mancunian could be a better bet than a weary-looking Declan Rice as the more attacking of England's two holding midfielders. It could also reinvigorate the Arsenal man for midweek.

Marcus Rashford has looked more effective from the bench than Anthony Gordon has from the start, so why not give him a chance to up the competition for places in the squad? On the opposite wing, since the tournament began, this game was the one earmarked for Bukayo Saka's first start.

In central defence, Tuchel has looked at John Stones and Ezri Konsa, then Konsa and Marc Guehi, why not try out Stones and Guehi before deciding which combination to lean on in the knockouts?

Such is England's depth it is debatable if any of those alterations would weaken them on Saturday, and the fewer players get pushed through what they hope will be all eight of their summer games, the better.

With Reece James a doubt and probably the player most in need of managing, perhaps alongside Saka and Rice, Djed Spence could return to right-back, where he was an effective substitute against Croatia, and allow Nico O'Reilly to give the left side of defence a more balanced look.

Jude Bellingham needs careful management too, to keep his arrogance and aggression at just the right levels. Limiting him to bench duties might help.

Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Eberechi Eze would certainly relish the chance to impress too.

Whilst all those changes would be overkill, some are worth considering as England look to show they have learnt the lessons of a disappointing draw with Ghana, and prove they can play with more aggression and width against a Panama side led by former Leeds United manager Thomas Christiansen who are no more likely to easily give them space to play in.

England are a long way from the mid-group stage rethink which led them to the 1990 semi-finals – when Bobby Robson switched from four at the back to a 5-4-1 – but history shows that in shorter tournaments than this they rarely start and finish with the same best XI.

Having a clearly-defined strongest team will work for some sides in North America, but with the 26 players Tuchel has at his disposal, not England. Whilst others are hardening up plans, Panama represents a good opportunity for them to challenge their thinking.