7:14PM
The Australia team
Former Brighton and Arsenal goalkeeper Mat Ryan captains the Socceroos, while Leicester’s Harry Souttar and Cameron Burgess of Ipswich are also on the team sheet.
Australia XI : Ryan, Strain, Souttar, Burgess, Rowles, Baccus, Irvine, Metcalfe, Boyle, Duke, Goodwin
Subs: Glover, Degenek, Bos, Silvera, Borrello, Mabil, Redmayne, O’Neill, Behich, Miller, Luongo, Circati
7:10PM
The England team
Jordan Henderson captains England as Gareth Southgate makes wholesale changes to his side.
The Al-Ettifaq midfielder’s inclusion in last month’s squad was controversial following his switch to the Saudi Pro League but he retains his spot this time around and leads out the hosts.
In a much-changed side, Chelsea defender Levi Colwill makes his senior debut at left-back as Lewis Dunk and Fikayo Tomori partner in the heart of defence.
Trent Alexander-Arnold completes the back-four while Crystal Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone earns a rare outing.
Jack Grealish returns having missed the September fixtures through injury while Jarrod Bowen and Ollie Watkins are also selected.
England XI: Johnstone, Alexander-Arnold, Tomori, Dunk, Colwill, Maddison, Gallagher, Henderson, Bowen, Watkins, Grealish
Subs: Ramsdale, Pickford, Trippier, Maguire, Stones, Guehi, Walker, Rice, Rashford, Kane, Foden, Phillips, Bellingham, Nketiah
Injuries: Saka, Wilson, Eze, Chilwell, Shaw, Mings, James
6:53PM
Former FA chairman David Bernstein: Football has turned its back on its own
It gives me no pleasure to clearly state that the top end of English football is increasingly driven by greed, commercialism, vested interests, posturing, and double-standards.
This is clearly apparent in the reaction to the murderous attack on Israel, including the torture and abuse of women and children…The so-called football family has turned its back on some of its own.
Go here for David Bernstein’s exclusive report in The Daily Telegraph.
6:47PM
Having a bet on today’s match?
6:45PM
Check out The Telegraph’s fantasy football league
6:44PM
The FA’s statement on its decision not to illuminate Wembley arch
“On Friday evening, we will remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine.
“Our thoughts are with them, and their families and friends in England and Australia and with all the communities who are affected by this ongoing conflict. We stand for humanity and an end to the death, violence, fear and suffering.
“England and Australia players will wear black armbands during their match at Wembley Stadium and there will also be a period of silence held before kick-off.
“Following discussions with partners and external stakeholders, we will only permit flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality for the competing nations inside Wembley Stadium for the upcoming matches against Australia [Oct 13] and Italy [Oct 17].
“The British Red Cross have also launched an emergency appeal to support the people affected by the humanitarian crisis in the region, and we will promote this appeal within the stadium on Friday.”
6:40PM
FA Wembley arch decision shows ‘Jews don’t count’, says Government’s anti-Semitism adviser
Lord John Mann, who has advised the Government on anti-Semitism since 2019, accused the FA of letting down England’s Jewish community and demonstrating “a failure of leadership.”
Lord Mann had lobbied the FA to light up the Wembley arch in the blue and white colours of the Jewish prayer shawl, rather than the Israeli flag, in the days leading up to tonight’s game and has directly expressed his disappointment to the organisation for refusing to do so.
Lord Mann said: “I don’t speak for the Jewish community, but I already know what they think about this. People have rung me and messaged me repeatedly from across the Jewish community and the message is that, in terms of football, ‘Jews don’t count’. That is what people are saying. Of course, the FA have let down the Jewish community.
“It’s a failure of leadership at the top of football and their arguments to Parliament about a football regulator and not needing one or that the FA should be the regulator are dramatically weakened by it.”
Lord Mann informed the FA why he felt a minute’s silence at a game being played during the Jewish Sabbath would not be appropriate and has now asked them to name the Britons killed in Israel during the Hamas attack on the Wembley big screens.
“I pointed out to them that a minute’s silence on Friday was useless because there won’t be any Jewish people there. It’s a Friday evening match. I explicitly pointed that out to them. I also told them that the last time there was a minute’s silence for the Jewish community that I can recall was after the Munich Olympics, when the FA called one, and it wasn’t successful. So I told them that as well.
“I’ve expressed my disappointment directly to them and what I’ve asked and what I hope is that they will name the British citizens, whose names are known, who have been murdered. On the big screens. Only some names are known, but I hope they will have the decency to do that.”
Go here for the full report.
6:23PM
England arrive at Wembley around an hour ago
6:22PM
Ange Postecoglou takes aim at Australia – saying he will not manage them again
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou has vowed never to manage Australia again because he says the country is not really interested in football.
Postecoglou is expected to be at Wembley tonight for England’s friendly against Australia, who he managed for four years.
But having quit the job in 2017, just two weeks after securing qualification for the Russia World Cup, Postecoglou believes all the problems that convinced him to walk out still exist.
“I walked away from a World Cup,” said Postecoglou, who subsequently resumed his managerial career in Japan before joining Celtic. “We qualified and I walked away. The reason I walked away was I just didn’t enjoy what I was doing.
“I think I’ve said all along, it’s not just doing the job and winning games of football. It’s got to be a higher purpose and my higher purpose in Australia was to change the game. I just don’t think that will happen.”
Asked if he saw himself ever managing the Socceroos again, Postecoglou, who became the Premier League’s first Australian manager this summer, firmly answered: “No. I gave up that fight. It’s a much easier space for me to live in because I was so frustrated for so long. It was my biggest frustration. One of my major drivers for doing what I did was to change football in Australia. And that’s the reason I left. I felt I hadn’t made an impact at all.
“That’s easier for me to deal with than to think maybe I still can now with what I’m doing. I just think I’d be disappointed, so I’d prefer to think it’s not going to happen.”
Despite his reservations over returning to coach his native team, Postecoglou was brought into camp this week by Socceroos manager Graham Arnold to gee up the troops.
“The speeches that Ange said yesterday were very similar about what we’ve been saying for years with doing it for the kids in Australia, the nation and your family and people who are close by and the supporters,” said Arnold.
For more on Postecoglou’s tenure with Australia - and why he knew it was time to leave - check out Matt Law’s full report here.
6:07PM
The last time England played Australia – a 2-1 thriller at Upton Park
5:55PM
Grealish on England’s ‘intense’ competition and being a ‘group of brothers’
Jack Grealish praised the “unbelievable” talent among the current crop of England wingers but said stiff competition for places does not come between them.
The Manchester City forward returns tonight after suffering a dead leg against Sheffield United in August that left him on crutches due to a 20-centimetre haematoma in his thigh.
The 28-year-old will be hoping to maintain his fitness to retain his place in the England squad, but he faces fierce competition from the likes of Jarrod Bowen, James Maddison and Eberechi Eze, who have added to the numbers in the last year. Raheem Sterling cannot currently get a game.
Grealish says there is competition but also a camaraderie that sees players arrive and stay on England duty even when they are injured or suspended. And the fight to be first choice in the forwards is intense.
“If you put six or seven of us wingers in that same category it is probably the best any international team or club-level team have got,” he said. “There’s [Bukayo] Saka, [Phil] Foden, [Marcus] Rashford, myself, obviously Jarrod has been on fire and now he’s here. There’s people who aren’t here like Raheem and Eze got injured.
“We feel like there’s unfinished business with that. We feel that now is probably the perfect time to succeed together. You look at the players we have and it’s when you do think about it properly it’s unbelievable, the talent we have
“Going back in the day, they had such a talented squad but I don’t know if they really got on with each other but when we come here, we proper get on, and I’m not just saying that. I don’t know if people would even like fake injuries or whatever but people here, they get injured and they want to come here to see the guys instead of staying at their club.
“Last month I was injured and I came and met up with the guys, stayed for a night. Saka came and did it. Luke Shaw did. I think it’s brilliant and I think you need that. It’s all good having the talent and stuff like that but you need bits of everything. It sounds cringe but when you are a group of brothers playing together, a group of friends.”
5:31PM
Ollie Watkins – England’s most prolific player over last year
Gareth Southgate has challenged fringe players in the England squad to stake their claim against Australia as the countdown begins towards Euro 2024.
There are probably only six matches before Southgate names his squad for next summer’s tournament, and he is likely to rest key players tonight with England due to face Italy next week in a crucial Euros qualifier.
Among those players in with an outside chance of making the Euros squad is Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who last week received his first international call-up since March 2022.
The 27-year-old may have gone under some fans’ radars, but he has has contributed to more Premier League goals in the last year (25) than any other player.
“His England recall has been a long time coming,” writes Matt Law.
5:20PM
England’s squad to face Australia
Bukayo Saka has pulled out of the England training squad after a hamstring injury ruled him out of Arsenal’s win over Manchester City on Sunday.
Saka reported to England’s St George’s Park on Monday but his withdrawal was confirmed soon after, having not been able to train since limping off during Arsenal’s Champions League defeat by Lens. Gareth Southgate has not called up a replacement.
Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Defenders: Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Al-Ettifaq), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) , Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
Southgate’s match-day squad will be announced soon.
4:58PM
Wembley arch controversy looms large
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s football coverage as England take on Australia at Wembley Stadium for the first time in more than seven years.
England come into the game off the back of a mixed set of results, having drawn 1-1 against Ukraine in August before rallying to win 3-1 away against Scotland, with Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Harry Kane all getting onto the scoresheet.
Tonight may only be a friendly, but Gareth Southgate’s side will look to use the fixture to gather some much needed momentum ahead of next week’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy where they can seal their place at next summer’s tournament.
The last time these two sides met was at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light in 2016 when England, under the command of Roy Hodgson, secured a 2-1 victory thanks to a 75th-minute winner from Wayne Rooney.
The England squad may be dazzling with more star quality these days, but besides a smattering of goal-fests against second rate opposition, they have a checkered record against top-tier sides over the last season and will need to hit their stride soon if they are to fulfill their potential at the Euros next year.
“It’s one of the great sporting rivalries and if Australia have any sniff that we’re not taking the game seriously, then we will be in trouble,” Southgate said. “We have good players and we need to give people opportunities to show what they can do.”
Australia, meanwhile, will be hoping for a change of fortune having not managed a win in their last three fixtures.
Speaking ahead of tonight’s match, Australia manager Graham Arnold said: “I know one thing is that [the players] will run until they drop, the energy will be there and they’ll put in the performance of their lives.
“We aim to win. We’re not going out there to lose or draw the game, we’re going out there to win the game.”
However, any excitement in the build-up to tonight’s clash has been eclipsed by off-field controversy over the Football Association’s refusal to illuminate the Wembley arch in recognition of the Hamas terror attack against Israel.
Instead, players are due to wear black armbands while a period of silence will be observed to remember the victims of the conflict.
The decision not to illuminate the arch was slammed by Britain’s Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport Lucy Frazer, who posted a message on X to say that she was “extremely disappointed”.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board (IAB) Deji Davies has come under fire for Tweets dating back to 2013 in which he advocated boycotting Isreael as hosts of the European Under-21 Championship.
Addressing the FA’s decision, Southgate offered his “thoughts and feelings to everybody who has suffered” but said “whatever decision they came to would have been criticised in one way or another”.
