Poland vs England live on September 8, 2021: How to watch this World Cup qualifier in 140+ countries

September 8, 2021 By Ali M.

Topics: TV Schedules, Poland, England, FIFA World Cup Qualifying

The Three Lions look to maintain their perfect record but will be in for a tricky test away to Lewandowski and Co.

Preview

With the international break nearing its end and the return of club football being on the horizon, one final exciting World Cup qualifier will be held in Europe. That tie is none other than England's clash with Group I rivals Poland, with the Three Lions making the trip to the Stadion Narodowy for their 2:45 p.m. showdown with Lewandowski and Co.

Gareth Southgate's men might have resumed their campaign to qualify for Qatar 2022 on the back of their Euro 2020 heartbreak, but the English did not waste any time in getting over that defeat to Italy. Harry Kane and Co. lost on penalties in the European Championship final at Wembley two months ago but in their first game back, they thrashed Hungary on the road with ease in a game marred by alleged racist abuse from the home fans.

Southgate then opted to switch things up for the following game, a home clash with Andorra, naming the likes of Kane, Sterling, Mount, Rica, Philipps, Maguire, Stones, and Pickford on the bench. Jesse Lingard was given a rare start while Arsenal starlet Bukayo Saka returned to the lineup, scoring once and assisting another two goals to banish the memory of his penalty miss against Italy.

That fixture resulted in another routine win for England, beating the minnows 4-0 to maintain their perfect record in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Having racked up 15 points from their first five games, all eyes will be on this fixture and whether the Three Lions will suffer their first slip-up at the hands of Poland.

The Eagles are second in the table, boasting 10 points after five games, meaning a victory over England would see them move within two points of the automatic qualification spot. Lewandowski and Co. stumbled in their first two away games of this tournament, drawing 3-3 with Hungary before losing 2-1 at Wembley.

However, since that loss to England, Paulo Sousa's side have raised their levels, beating Albania 4-1 before thrashing San Marino 7-1. Their Bayern Munich talisman forward played a huge role in those victories, scoring three times across both fixtures. Will the deadly striker lead his nation to a win over England? Tune in to find out.

Team news

Poland: Lewandowski missed the 2-1 loss to England due to injury but will lead his nation in this tie. Jan Bednarek and Kamil Glik, who were both named on the bench in the win over San Marino, are expected to return to the lineup.

England: Tyrone Mings is suspended for his tie but was destined to make way for the first-choice center-back partnership of Maguire and Stones. Sancho picked up a knock and will thus sit this one out while Sterling and Grealish are expected to return to the lineup in place of Saka and Lingard. Patrick Bamford, who disappointed in his debut, is all but destined to be dropped for captain Harry Kane.

Key stats

England have not lost to Poland since 1974, going 2-0 down in a World Cup qualifier.
In fact, that is the Three Lions' only defeat in 20 encounters with the Eagles, winning 12 and drawing seven.
The 1966 World Cup winners thus boast a 17-game unbeaten run against Lewandowski's nation.
Southgate's men haven't lost a fixture inside 90 minutes since going 2-0 down against Belgium in the UEFA Nations League back in November 2020.