Will Palmer, Foden and Trent be recalled to England squad?

Thomas Tuchel is set to name his first England squad since the World Cup on Friday; having stated publicly that England's DNA does not allow for ball-retaining passers, can he continue to leave the likes of Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold out?

Cole Palmer's outstanding form this season has put him in a strong position for an England recall, with the Chelsea man the most likely to be included from all the big names left out of the World Cup squad.

Palmer, along with Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold , was a headline omission from Thomas Tuchel's tournament squad in May, but he is one of the most startlingly in-form players in the Premier League right now, and the smart money is on him winning his international place back.

In the hugely oversubscribed No 10 role, the England boss went with Jude Bellingham , Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze in May, but Palmer is now fully fit after groin problems limited him to just 26 appearances last season, and his form has flourished.

Two goals and two assists show that. Only his team-mate Joao Pedro has more in the Premier League so far this season and only Bruno Fernandes has created more chances and had more shots combined (25) than Palmer (24).

It also feels like a space may have opened up for Palmer, with Eze's indifferent form for Arsenal. While starting in Europe and the Carabao Cup, Eze has yet to start in the Premier League so far this season.

Morgan Gibbs-White is in with a shout, after an impressive start to the campaign. But Tuchel constantly talks about "connections" between players as the key to England's success, and right now it is hard to argue there is a better attacking connection in the Premier League than Palmer and his close friend Rogers. There certainly is not an all-English one.

This squad selection will be the first staging post in Tuchel's brave new post-World Cup era. Having stated publicly that England's DNA does not allow for ball-retaining passers, can he continue to leave Palmer, Foden and Alexander-Arnold in exile - three generational talents in terms of their passing and attacking prowess?

The issue here is that Tuchel is not a man to admit he was wrong. Like many, if not all, of the very best coaches in the world, there is an in-built self-belief - an arrogance, some would say - which is very hard to shake. It is partly what gives him his aura.

And if Tuchel does recall one of those big three, does that show the mask is slipping? Plenty in the media will pounce and take it as proof that the England boss got it wrong on the biggest stage when he named his World Cup squad three months ago. But he will also be criticised if he leaves those superstars out again. It is a lose-lose.

Despite his sending off in the Manchester derby last weekend, Foden has started the season in fine form. He leads the Premier League in assists after a ball carry (2), alongside Cody Gakpo and Julio Enciso. And of all the English players at Tuchel's disposal, he is probably the most technically adept with the ball at his feet.