Thomas Tuchel sends Cristiano Ronaldo warning to England players as Three Lions boss reveals he's already scolded Djed Spence for Tottenham behaviour

Portugal still top Group F despite defeat to Ireland last week, but are now just two points clear of Hungary in second ahead of the final group games. The Selecao take on Armenia in Porto today and need to win to guarantee top spot, a match that Ronaldo won't be in attendance for having been sent home from the national team.

England don't face the same problem having already guaranteed first in Group K ahead of their game against Albania this evening. The Three Lions have won all seven matches in World Cup qualifying and will fancy their chances of rounding off their own campaign with a 100% record.

However, Tuchel has revealed that he will warn his players not to do anything silly when they travel to Albania, who are guaranteed a play-off spot, for their final group game.

Ahead of the game against Albania, Tuchel said: "It is important, I'm aware of it and we will talk about it. No red cards please. If we have a doubt then, because we are through and we are in a position with last man then the player holds the shirt he gets the red card. If there's a doubt then it would be smarter not to do it.

"If he goes in the last man example and if we can avoid it no red card of course but I don't want to make it too big a subject because then you have a cloud above you. But if you have the choice: don't do it."

Tuchel will be forced into at least one change for the game against Albania, with Ezri Konsa absent after suffering a calf strain against Serbia. The Aston Villa man may have played the full 90, but has since returned to his club side.

"Ezri is not with us, he has a tight calf and got assessed in the afternoon and didn’t take the risk so we didn't take him," Tuchel added. "Everyone else is ready to go. He has had a lot of matches for Aston Villa so was a candidate to have a rest."

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Tuchel also revealed that he has scolded defender Djed Spence for his Tottenham behaviour. The full-back snubbed Thomas Frank after Spurs' recent 1-0 loss to rivals Chelsea, storming down the tunnel alongside Micky van de Ven as the north London side put in a poor showing against the Blues.

And while Tuchel didn't consider leaving Spence out of the England squad as a result, the German has made it clear that he did not like that the 25-year-old ignored his manager.

"Yeah, I didn't like it," the Three Lions boss said of the incident. "Because the players know they are not only national players when they are the 10 days in camp, they are always national players and the standard of behaviour is always important."

With qualification wrapped up and just a 100% record to play for, Tuchel may make some changes to the side that started against Serbia. Spence is among those who could start at full-back, while Dan Burn, Jarell Quansah and Trevoh Chalobah are competing to deputise for Konsa at the back.

Adam Wharton, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze are also hoping to feature from the outset in Tirana, the latter trio all replacing Morgan Rogers, Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford, respectively, on the hour mark against Serbia on Thursday.

And it was Bellingham, Foden and Eze who linked up well for the latter's late strike to wrap up the three points after Bukayo Saka had put England ahead in the first half.

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