Tuchel Aims to Maintain Momentum as Kane Sits Out England's Friendly Against Wales

Harry Kane will not feature in England's upcoming friendly against Wales on Thursday, with manager Thomas Tuchel seeking to maintain the momentum from a decisive 5-0 victory in Serbia that began his tenure with the national team.

His absence at Wembley will be significant, given his 18 goals across 10 club and international matches during the current campaign.

Tuchel remains hopeful the Bayern Munich striker will recover in time for the World Cup qualifier against Latvia on Tuesday.

"Harry will not participate in this match. He sustained a kick during his last Bayern Munich fixture and the risk of further injury causing inconsistent pain levels made his inclusion unwise," Tuchel explained at his pre-match briefing.

"We are confident he will be prepared for the match against Latvia," he added.

The German manager made the contentious choice to exclude Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from his latest squad, prioritising players available for selection last month.

Prior to their convincing display in Belgrade, Tuchel's early period in charge had included narrow wins against lower-ranked sides in World Cup qualifying and a 3-1 home defeat to Senegal in a friendly.

"We are focused on sustaining the standard we have set and continuing our progress," stated Tuchel.

"These decisions are based on current squad availability and not a reflection on any player's standing. While there may be differing perspectives, difficult choices are an expected part of the role.

"The fact we face challenging selections is a positive indication of our squad depth. For this match, we chose to continue with the group that delivered an outstanding performance previously.

"Starting the same line-up as against Serbia is not feasible, so changes are natural. Competition within the squad is healthy. I understand my choices will be questioned, as that is part of the job," he continued.

Wales manager Craig Bellamy described England's squad depth as 'exceptional' but insisted his team would not merely be present as tourists for Thursday's fixture.

"Playing at a world-class venue like Wembley presents challenges, but for us it represents an exciting opportunity," Bellamy said.

"We are not here to simply experience the occasion. Our aim is to perform at our highest level, which naturally brings both enjoyment and enthusiasm," he added.