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Forced access of West Lothian council homes ‘should be a last resort’

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Daily Record

Housing officers responded by illustrating the complexities that lie behind homes becoming empty or void. They stressed that there are no quick fix answers.

Forced access is not an option the council can rely to manage poor tenancies, councillors in West Lothian have been told.

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A report was drafted for the Housing Services PDSP after a motion at full council earlier this year calling on ways to improve the management of council housing in a bid to stop homes being trashed by selfish tenants.

Housing officers responded by illustrating the complexities that lie behind homes becoming empty or void. They stressed that there are no quick fix answers.

The bulk of void homes returned to the council are Category C the ones in the worst condition requiring upwards of £12,000 spent to bring them back to a lettable standard.

Key to success remains early engagement with tenants an maintenance of that engagement.

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The committee heard that during the last financial year 2025/26, 609 properties from the Council’s lettable housing stock became void.

In approximately half of tenancies that end, the housing officer is unlikely to have a planned or effective pre-termination visit because there is no formal termination notification The tenant has died, abandoned the tenancy or moved into care/supported accommodation, hospital or prison.

In the last year 158 homes became void because the tenant died and 177 were vacated without the tenant contacting housing staff.

There are also circumstances where, even when notice has been given, the tenant did not give access to the housing officer to complete the task.

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Only 120 of the homes vacated- 20%- were left after a pre-termination visit carried out by housing officer.

Other reasons for void homes last year included: Tenant Abandonment 53 (9%); Eviction 45 (7%); Tenant moved in to Care / Supported Accommodation 49 (8%) and In Prison 7 (1%).

A report to councillors said: “A property does not usually become a difficult void because of one single issue. In many cases, poor void conditions are the result of cumulative and complex factors which have developed over time.

“While tenant behaviour, neglect, damage or lack of engagement may be relevant in some cases, poor condition should not automatically be assumed to be malicious tenant damage.”

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It added: “The condition of a tenancy at void stage can also be affected by the length of the tenancy, historic repair issues, limited access during occupation, or the fact that the property has not benefited from recent capital investment or improvement works.”

Key to success remains early engagement with tenants and maintenance of that engagement.

The report outlined: “Depending on the individual tenant circumstances the housing officer can put in a follow up supervision visit with more regular visits and/or telephone contact on a planned basis.

“There could be signifiers that would ‘trigger’ further discussion. For example, the tenant has never held a tenancy before or had a failed tenancy, or has vulnerabilities due to health challenges, known addictions/substance use.”

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The report added: “Forced access is not available as a general response to poor engagement, routine tenancy management concerns or suspected poor property conditions.

“It should only be considered where there is a clear legal, statutory, safety or urgent operational requirement, and where all reasonable steps have been taken to secure voluntary access.”

Councillors heard that here concerns relate to general tenancy condition, garden condition, support needs or low-level property issues, officers should continue to use tenancy supervision, engagement, support referrals, warnings and other proportionate tenancy management processes before any formal escalation is considered.

The end-to-end timescale is 6-8 weeks, which affords the tenant sufficient time to voluntarily arrange the required access. In emergency situations such as threat to life, officers would engage with Police Scotland to effect entry.

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The committee heard that the housing department is working to improve void management, exploring e the potential to introduce an incentive scheme for tenants to engage in pre-termination appointments.

Other options include modernising the tenant handbook and creating bite-size videos including ‘how to’ guides to assist tenants in their home. Housing staff are also improving ‘tenant ready’ information for prospective tenants to assist them prepare for the future when offered council housing.

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Battle against two major moorland fires rages on, and it isn’t expected to end soon

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Manchester Evening News

It is a week since the moorland fire began at Dovestone, while crews have been battling the Tintwistle fire for three weeks

Firefighters are set to remain at the scene of moorland fires into next week.

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Crews have been tackling blazes near Dovestone reservoir in Oldham and at Tintwistle in Derbyshire. Despite the huge emergency services response, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said people had been seen visiting Dovestone and lighting barbeques.

GMFRS said: “Our firefighters continue to tackle two major moorland fires at Swineshaw and Dovestone. This weekend, we have already seen people visiting the area and lighting BBQs.

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“People must stay away from affected moorland areas and must not light BBQs, campfires or any other open flames.”

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It is more than a week since the moorland fire began at Dovestone, while crews have been battling the Tintwistle fire for three weeks.

Meanwhile, police said that two people who had been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the fire at Dovestone have been released on bail. A 19-year-old woman and a man in his 20s had been held.

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said that crews are expected to remain at the scene in Tintwistle into next week.

“Firefighters and partner agencies are expected to remain at the scene of the Tintwistle Moor wildfire into next week,” they said. “They continue to work tirelessly to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading further.

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“Our efforts are currently focused on four key areas: Didsbury Intake, Featherbed Moss, Arnfield Moor and Crowden. The A628 Woodhead Pass remains closed so responders and vehicles can get to and from the scene safely.

“Two helicopters are dropping water on both the Tintwistle Moor wildfire and a separate wildfire across the border in Greater Manchester at Dovestone Reservoir and Swineshaw Moor. Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service and Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service continue to lead their own operations while working closely together and sharing specialist resources.

“The current wind direction is carrying smoke from both incidents towards Manchester. However, forecast changes in wind direction early next week could mean smoke affects more communities on the Derbyshire side of the border, including Padfield and Hadfield.

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“Residents and visitors are advised to avoid areas affected by smoke where possible. If you live nearby, please stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed.

“If you must travel through an area affected by smoke, keep your windows closed and use the recirculation setting in your vehicle to reduce the amount of smoke entering from outside.

“We would like to thank the public for their continued support and cooperation. We also remind anyone planning to visit the High Peak this weekend to avoid the wildfire-affected areas around Tintwistle and nearby communities.”

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Why Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are on the bench for England vs France | Football

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Why Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are on the bench for England vs France | Football

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In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

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Andy Burnham to scrap digital ID to focus on ‘helping with cost of living’

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Andy Burnham in a suit and glasses. A close up of his face.

“This reprioritisation of public resource shows a change in direction towards improving everyday life and strengthening local economies over expensive national government schemes.”

Plans for a digital ID scheme had initially been introduced by Sir Keir ahead of Labour’s conference last year.

At the time, Starmer argued that mandatory digital ID for workers would make it easier to clamp down on immigrants working illegally and modernise the state.

As well as tackling illegal immigration, Starmer said a digital ID system would enable citizens to prove identity to access key services quickly instead of having to hunt for utility bills.

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The Office for Budget Responsibility estimated last November that the programme would cost £1.8 billion over three years, but Downing Street rejected this figure.

In January, after nearly three million people signed a parliamentary petition opposing the introduction of digital IDs, the government changed its approach.

Instead, Cabinet Office minister Darren Jones unveiled a voluntary scheme, which he said could eventually allow people to do everything from managing their childcare to filling in tax returns on a “one stop” app.

Soon after, Home Affairs Committee Chair Dame Karen Bradley said the government was right to introduce digital ID but had botched the launch.

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In a report setting out the committee’s investigation into the launch and subsequent changes to the digital ID policy, Dame Karen called attempts to set out the plans “nothing short of a fiasco” which “raised fears of government over-reach into people’s lives”.

Burnham will become prime minister after meeting with King Charles III on Monday, and his office said “one of the first things this government will do is put its focus where people need it right now”.

Scrapping digital ID, the spokesperson said, will mean “redirecting the resources earmarked for the scheme towards people’s everyday priorities”.

Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart said people would be “hugely relieved to know they are no longer set to be forced to hand over their data just to go about their daily lives”.

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“We have long said the obscene sums earmarked for digital ID would be a huge waste of taxpayers’ money, and it’s a relief that Burnham has woken up to that” she said in a statement.

The update on digital IDs follows news that Burnham will announce plans for new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea after he becomes prime minister.

The Labour Party’s 2024 manifesto – which the new leader said he would follow – had pledged to not issue new licences but to honour existing ones.

While details of the oil and gas plans are not clear, the incoming prime minister is expected to uphold the manifesto commitment.

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This means the Labour leader could pledge to speed up existing plans to drill more in the North Sea, where many oil and gas licences already approved in recent years remain largely undeveloped due to a variety of reasons.

As Burnham prepares to take office on Monday, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warned his plans for government are “airy fairy” in an interview for Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

She accused Burnham of not being aware of “what the country’s priorities are” and stressed the country needs a leader ready to “take tough decisions”.

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Christopher Nolan’s ‘most underrated’ film added to Netflix as The Odyssey hits cinemas

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Manchester Evening News

Nolan’s latest films stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland

Christopher Nolan’s ‘most underrated’ film has been added to Netflix as The Odyssey wows fans in cinemas across the world.

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Nolan is one of the UK’s most successful directors of recent years. In 2024 he won both Best Picture and Best Director at the 96th Academy Awards for Oppenheimer.

Famously released on the same day as Barbie in an event branded Barbenheimer, the Cillian Murphy film followed the man who created the atomic bomb. Nolan was finally recognised at the Oscars after being nominated five times in the past.

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Outside of Oppenheimer, Nolan is known for delivering the iconic Dark Knight Trilogy, mind-bending Inception, thundering war film Dunkirk and sci-fi epic Interstellar. Simply put, there is no one navigating genres like him.

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On Friday (July 15) The Odyssey finally hit cinemas almost a full year after tickets went on sale. Starring Matt Damon, the film follows King Odysseus as sets sail for Ithaca, eager to reunite with his beloved.

However, his journey home is far more treacherous than the battlefield, as he must face deadly monsters and vengeful gods to survive. A host of Nolan’s most popular collaborators are taking part in the project, including Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Himesh Patel.

The latter is a former EastEnders star who made his debut in a Nolan film that came out at the height of the pandemic. Thankfully, it’s now been added to Netflix and is well worth a watch.

Released in 2020, Tenet is a science fiction action thriller unlike any other you’ve seen before. The film follows a CIA officer who is recruited into a secret organization.

Once there, he’s tasked with tracing the origin of objects that are traveling backward through time and their connection to an attack by the future. No this isn’t a time travel movie, it’s something much more complex.

Leading the cast is none other than John David Washington, the son of acting legend Denzel Washington. The creator star is slick and composed as a protagonist whose suitable named ‘The Protagonist’.

Filling out the rest of the cast is Pattinson, The Crown’s Elizabeth Debicki, Hindi film star Dimple Kapadia, The Italian Job’s Michael Caine and Harry Potter’s Kenneth Branagh. If that wasn’t enough star power, 28 Years Later’s Aaron Taylor-Johnson joins late on into the film.

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Tenet was the first Hollywood tent-pole to open in theaters during the pandemic and grossed $366 million worldwide on a $205 million budget. While that number is very far off from what Nolan’s films tend to make, it was still the fifth-highest-grossing film of the year.

Critics were unsure what to make of Tenet, presumably due to how far-fetched it is, giving it a harsh score of 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. It remains his worst reviewed movie.

Its critical consensus reads: “A visually dazzling puzzle for film lovers to unlock, Tenet serves up all the cerebral spectacle audiences expect from a Christopher Nolan production.”

Thankfully, the past six years have seen people finally realising that Tenet is an underrated gem. Many of them have taken to Reddit to explain why it’s a film better than its reception suggests.

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@HippieWizard said: “I LOVED IT! i understand the confusion because most people are oblivious to normal things let alone this very detailed movie.” @fullsendit added: “This Is such a unique raw film and I loved It. Did I understand exactly the time mechanics and what’s going on more than 80% of the time? Of course not far from It.”

@KlassicLoL wrote: ”Destined to be Nolan’s cult film. Don’t try to understand it, feel it.” @himzidimzi joked: “I just got done watching it. All I have to say is this. I really liked what I saw but I have no idea what exactly is that I saw.”

@Kep0a commented: “Excellent film, easily hits the same exact chords as Inception for me. Honestly they totally achieved the suspension of disbelief. I don’t care even if you hate the film a fucking car chase in reverse is the coolest thing I have ever seen.”

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France vs England – World Cup third-place play-off LIVE: Declan Rice captains Three Lions as Ivan Toney and Dean Henderson start as part of seven changes for the game that no player wants to be a part of

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France vs England - World Cup third-place play-off LIVE: Declan Rice captains Three Lions as Ivan Toney and Dean Henderson start as part of seven changes for the game that no player wants to be a part of

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Follow Daily Mail Sport’s live coverage for the latest updates as England take on France in the World Cup third-place play-off at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

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Thomas Tuchel called out for ‘talking nonsense’ before England vs France World Cup clash

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Daily Mirror

Croatia great Davor Suker has criticised England manager Thomas Tuchel for his World Cup comments ahead of kick-off against France

Croatia icon Davor Suker has taken aim at England manager Thomas Tuchel. The German head coach has received criticism following his comments ahead of the Three Lions’ third-place play-off against France.

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England take on fellow beaten semi-finalists in Miami on Saturday (10pm kick-off) looking to bounce back from their devastating exit to Argentina. Tuchel came under fire for his tactics after his side squandered a one-goal lead against the reigning champions.

Anthony Gordon had opened the scoring midway through the second-half before late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez turned the tie on its head. A demoralised England will have to lick their wounds against a France side who were brushed aside by Spain.

However, Tuchel’s comments about the battle for the wooden spoon haven’t gone down well with Croatia as the 58-year-old took aim at the head coach.

Suker inspired the Vatreni to third-place in 1998, taking home the golden boot with six efforts.

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He said: “I think the rich don’t want to play when they lose. After 1998, when we played the Netherlands for third place, we fought for that bronze medal, and today I can still speak about it with pride.

“Some people have won so many trophies and are so wealthy that this match means nothing to them.

“My message to them is: be quiet, respect all 211 participants, and understand that the world doesn’t belong only to them. It belongs to the middle-sized nations, the smaller ones, and to everyone who loves football.

“Whoever wins third place tomorrow, I assure you that in 20 years, when they’re older, they’ll still remember that bronze medal. That’s why, in this whole story, coach Tuchel doesn’t matter. He’s talking nonsense.”

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The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich head coach caused a stir during his pre-match duties with his comments surrounding the third-place playoff.

He said: “None of our players and none of the French players want to play this match. They want to play the final.

“We gave everything to achieve that. Everyone plays to win the World Cup, but that’s how it is. We have one less day of recovery than France, but we will do it with professionalism.”

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Tuchel faces immense scrutiny over his future in the Three Lions hot-seat after coming in for severe criticism for their collapse against Argentina.

England were within 10 minutes of their second ever World Cup final but regressed and opted to move into a defensive shape that allowed the defending champions to capitalise and keep their hopes of retaining alive.

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Popular Cambridgeshire lido closed for second time this month due to ‘issue’

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Cambridgeshire Live

The lido will stay closed for the weekend

A popular Cambridgeshire lido has closed for the second time in just over a fortnight due to an “issue”. The Vivacity Peterborough Lido is closed on Saturday (July 18) and Sunday (July 19) due to an “issue” in the pool’s plant room.

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In a social media post, a Lido spokesperson said: “Due to an issue in the plant room, we will unfortunately be closed this weekend. We are working to rectify the situation as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused. If you have a booking this weekend, we’ll be in touch to rearrange.”

This is the second time in just over two weeks that the Lido has had to close due to an issue. On July 1, it closed for two days as an issue was identified following essential maintenance being carried out.

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Lotto winning numbers live: National Lottery results and Thunderball on July 18

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Daily Mirror

No one managed to match all six numbers in Wednesday’s Lotto draw, unfortunately.

However, two players, one in each round, matched five numbers and the Bonus Ball, bringing them £1,00,000 each.

A total of 136 players matched five numbers, bagging £1,000 each, while the 7,424 who matched four numbers won £50 each.

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More than 134,000 matched three numbers, winning £10 each, while a whopping 1,109,486 matched two numbers, winning £1 each.

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Two US troops killed and one missing after Iranian attack in Jordan

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A USA patch flag on the US military uniform

Two US service members were killed and one remains missing after Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan on Friday, military officials said.

The US Central Command (Centcom) said four US service members were medically evacuated to Jordan hospitals but have since been discharged. Others who had minor injuries have returned to duty.

Jordan’s military earlier said it had intercepted 10 Iranian missiles fired into its airspace overnight, without reporting any damage.

US military officials did not disclose the identities of those killed, nor did they provide details about the circumstances of the incident or where in Jordan the latest attack took place.

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The US death toll in the conflict has now risen to 16 after an American Navy pilot who went missing earlier this month was declared dead, marking the second increase in the toll this week.

In a statement on Saturday, Centcom said: “Two US service members in Jordan were killed in action as US Central Command (Centcom) and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally, one service member is currently missing.

“Out of respect for the families, Centcom will withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen warriors, until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified.”

Responding to the announcement of the deaths, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X: “Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.”

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The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had destroyed at least two US fighter aircraft early on Saturday on Al-Azraq base in Jordan, according to Iranian state media.

The BBC contacted Centcom regarding this report but it declined to add further details.

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France vs England World Cup 2026 preview, team news and prediction

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Daily Mirror

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Playing for a prize no one really wants until the opening whistle, France and England go head-to-head again in Saturday’s World Cup 2026 third-place (or “bronze final”) play-off. France’s status as pre-tournament favourites were shredded by Spain in Tuesday’s 2-0 semi-final loss, before England came up short in a deserved 2-1 defeat to reigning champions Argentina in Atlanta.

Les Bleus go into this match, however, as the firm favourites going into this at 10/11 with Ladbrokes while the Three Lions are 29/10 with SpreadEx and a draw is 11/4 with Sky Bet. You can also find more betting offers at the Mirror Betting Hubs Free Bets offers.

For Didier Deschamps, the Spain game was a fork in the road: prove his pre-match judgement right, or reach another World Cup final. Painfully for the outgoing 57-year-old, it was the former. Deschamps had publicly talked up Spain as the favourites, a view echoed by many World Cup betting markets, and Luis de la Fuente’s side delivered again, drawing on recent big-game successes over France at Euro 2024 and in the 2024-25 Nations League.

Mikel Oyarzabal’s perfectly placed penalty and a superb Pedro Porro strike sealed Spain’s place in Sunday’s final against Argentina. France, once so feared going forward, were held at the Dallas Stadium as Spain’s defence won the much-hyped battle with Deschamps’ attack a night that also saw Deschamps set a new record for most World Cup matches managed. Even so, the prevailing verdict was that he got it badly wrong, with Kylian Mbappé among those to question the approach afterwards.

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Now, in the match he never planned to be coaching, Deschamps will try to guide Les Bleus to a third World Cup bronze medal, from what is their fourth third-place play-off and their first since 1986. France beat Belgium 4-2 to take third that year, and famously hammered West Germany 6-3 in 1958, when Just Fontaine scored four. They finished fourth in 1982, losing the play-off to Poland.

England, meanwhile, left their own semi-final surrounded by criticism. Thomas Tuchel became the lightning rod on Wednesday as pre-match optimism among fans evaporated. The Three Lions initially refused to be drawn into Argentina’s pressing and edge, exploiting space out wide to go ahead through Anthony Gordon — only to retreat into a “try to break us down” stance that proved fatal against Lionel Messi and company.

Messi duly accepted the invitation, producing two assists for Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez in a stirring comeback that kept Argentina on course for back-to-back titles and sparked another post-mortem into another major-tournament disappointment for England.

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There is, at least, a sliver of upside: Tuchel can still deliver England’s second-best men’s World Cup finish. But England’s previous third-place play-off appearances ended in defeat — 2-0 to Belgium in 2018 and 2-1 to Italy in 1990 — and a bronze medal will feel like scant consolation for a bruised squad and fanbase.

France vs England Prediction

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France vs England Team News

France are still waiting on an official update on William Saliba but reports state he will be out for up to five months, meaning Maxence Lacroix is likely to start after replacing him in Arlington. Didier Deschamps previously picked Lacroix ahead of Ibrahima Konaté, citing Konaté’s form and lack of experience on the left side of centre-back, and Lacroix could now even come in for Dayot Upamecano as France make minor changes.

Backup goalkeeper Brice Samba also missed training, though no change is expected in goal.

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England have their own defensive concern after Reece James limped off against Argentina with a suspected muscle injury. Jarell Quansah is available again after serving his ban, while Djed Spence could switch flanks to allow Nico O’Reilly back in at left-back. Jordan Henderson remains out with a wrist issue, and there’s also a watch on Jude Bellingham after footage appeared to show him striking the back of Valentin Barco’s head post-match.

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