James Trafford set for second England start

James Trafford is expected to get another chance in England’s goal against Czechia tonight, after starting Saturday’s 3-2 Nations League defeat by Spain. For Leeds United, it is a notable reward for the 23-year-old’s early-season form, not confirmation that Jordan Pickford has lost the No 1 shirt.

Why Trafford is in the England conversation

Thomas Tuchel said after the Spain match that Trafford and Pickford would each get “two consecutive matches” during this international window, according to BBC Sport’s report. Tuchel said Pickford had done nothing wrong; he wanted to see how far Trafford had progressed after a strong start and regular starts at Leeds. Local reporter the Yorkshire Evening Post reported on Monday that Trafford would retain his place against Czechia. The starting XI still needs official confirmation before kick-off.

Leeds’ own early-season update, published on 23 September, credited Trafford with 20 Premier League saves and an 87 per cent save rate across all competitions at that point. These are a dated snapshot, not live figures for tonight’s match. The club said he had made six appearances across competitions and kept three clean sheets, including the League Cup.

The way Leeds have defended in front of James Trafford matters too. The Yorkshire Evening Post noted that the side had conceded only three goals in its first five Premier League games and kept two clean sheets at the time of its Monday report. Those figures help explain why his early club form has caught attention, but they do not settle England’s longer-term goalkeeper choice.

Spain was a test, not a verdict

Trafford made his first competitive England start against Spain and saved an effort from Ferran Torres, while England conceded three in the 3-2 defeat. Tuchel’s decision to give him the first two matches is a way to assess him, not a public demotion of Pickford. Trafford told the Yorkshire Evening Post that playing every week at Leeds has helped him earn the national-team chance; he did not claim a sudden jump in ability.

UEFA lists Czechia v England for Tuesday 29 September; BBC’s match page gives a 7:45pm BST kick-off. A second start would give Trafford another high-level test before Leeds’ next club fixture. What matters for Elland Road is that he returns fit and keeps the form which earned him the call-up. For another Leeds player on international duty, see our report on Jaka Bijol’s defensive display for Slovenia.