Arsenal and Manchester City stars are among eight players to pull out of the England squad for November’s fixtures, while five faces are added to Lee Carsley’s ranks.
Two players from Arsenal and two from Manchester City are among a staggering eight England troops to withdraw from Lee Carsley‘s squad for November’s matches.
The interim Three Lions boss is taking charge of the Euro 2024 runners-up for the final time this month before Thomas Tuchel officially takes over at the beginning of January.
England will battle Greece in their penultimate UEFA Nations League match on Thursday, three days before Carsley brings his reign to a close at home to the Republic of Ireland.
Having accrued nine points from four matches in League B Group 2, England currently sit second in the section behind leaders Greece, who are earning automatic promotion to League A as things stand.
Carsley confirmed an initial 26-man squad last week, but no fewer than eight of those called up – including several high-profile stars – have now had to withdraw from the November selection.
Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are two of the eight to leave the camp, having both picked up knocks in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday, where Cole Palmer was seen limping after the game.
The latter has also been sent home from the England camp, as has his Blues teammate Levi Colwill, while Manchester City duo Phil Foden and Jack Grealish will not represent their country either.
Grealish was already carrying an injury when he was named in Carsley’s selection, leading Pep Guardiola to aim a thinly-veiled dig at the interim England boss, but the winger will now be rehabilitating in Manchester.
In addition, Liverpool‘s Trent Alexander-Arnold has withdrawn after picking up a hamstring injury in the Reds’ 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, although his issue will apparently not sideline him for more than a couple of weeks.
Finally, Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale – who had just won his place back in the Three Lions squad – has pulled out due to a suspected finger fracture, which he is expected to go under the knife for.
Aston Villa star earns first senior call-up thanks to withdrawals
© Imago
Carsley has unsurprisingly not been able to replace all eight absent players with like-for-like replacements, although the spate of withdrawals has allowed Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers to earn his maiden senior call-up.
The 22-year-old – who has managed three goals and three assists from 15 matches this term – was one of the notable omissions from Carsley’s initial selection, but he is one of two attackers to be added to the ranks.
West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen has also been recalled to the national team setup, as has Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, who made just his second start of the Premier League season in the weekend’s goalless draw with the Irons.
Finally, Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento and Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford – neither of whom has made an appearance for the Three Lions – have joined up with the senior team for this month’s fixtures.
