New faces have been named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad announcement for the Australia and Italy games which will take place next week.
The Three Lions have a double header at Wembley, as they prepare to face an international friendly against Australia before they welcome Italy in their next European Qualifier on the road to UEFA EURO 2024.
England are in a strong position in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, their draw in Ukraine in September opened the door slightly ajar for their challengers.
An England win on Tuesday sees them secure qualification for the finals while a draw also could be enough given the Three Lions’ final two matches are against North Macedonia and Malta.
However, a defeat would give hope to Italy that they could yet beat England to top spot – although they would need a massive turnaround in goal difference too.
Ben Chilwell and Luke Shaw are both sidelined with injuries, while there are fitness doubts over Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka – with the latter limping off during Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to Lens on Tuesday night.
Just minutes before the squad announcement, David Ornstein of The Athletic reported Ollie Watkins was selected for the first time since March 2022, having scored seven goals this season, including two hat-tricks.
Ornstein also said that Jarrod Bowen was recalled but that there is still no place for fellow teammate James Ward-Prowse.
LATEST ENGLAND SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT:
Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal).
Defenders: Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayi Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Al-Ettifaq), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (Arsenal).
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham), Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
Here it is: your #ThreeLions squad for October! 👊
— England (@England) October 5, 2023
What’s the latest on Saka? – England manager Gareth Southgate: “He’s still being assessed. Arsenal have got a big game this weekend and then there’s another seven days before we play Australia and 10 days before we play Italy. Everybody will monitor everything as we go forward.”
Options in wide areas – Gareth Southgate: “We’ve been happy with the wide players and the performances in the last four games in particular and the two in March. The team are playing really well, so clearly there’s some stability there.
“We have added Jarrod Bowen in the wide areas – he’s scored five in seven games – and with the Australia game, there’s an opportunity to learn some different things.”
Why no Wilson? – Gareth Southgate: “Callum Wilson is carrying an injury and it wasn’t certain he’d be available.”
Southgate cautious of recency bias in Watkins selection – “Ollie Watkins has started the season well. He’s hit a bit of scoring form in the last couple of weeks. You have to be careful with that because you can’t just go on recency bias when you’re looking at selection, but he is in good form. He’s coming in on a high.
“He’s been with us before; we know his character, his personality. He’s a good guy around the group. He’s playing for a club that are really well-coached and the team are in a good moment.”
Can Colwill play left-back for England? – Gareth Southgate: “Very much so. We’re conscious that most of his football as been as a centre-back and I think it’s his preference and his strongest position.
“But, equally, we’re without a lot of experience at left-back and he’s playing there regularly and we’ve got some other centre-backs that can fill in at full-back areas as well.
“We need to find a little bit out about one or two players because that depth in that position in the league is not strong.
“We really like Levi. He had a fantastic season last season with Brighton, an excellent Euros with our U21s, he’s adapting well to life back at Chelsea and he’s got a real maturity about his game. We’re hopeful for his future.”
Here’s how fans on Twitter reacted with new faces named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad announcement for the Australia and Italy games…
@CFCDaily: Remember when you had to earn getting called up 🤣
@lucypritty1: How do Maguire, Phillips and Henderson still get in the squad? I’m shocked to see that there’s no place for at least Dan Burn, he been brilliant for Newcastle.. same goes for Konsa too
@Kudus_Szn: Henderson over JWP makes me want to be sick, how can the manager of our country have favourites and picks them over players in form, this is why we will never win the euro’s or World Cup for a long time whilst he’s in charge
@NUFC360:
No Gordon
No Longstaff
No Pope
Shocking decisions by Southgate.
#NUFC
@kieron1892: Our fans kicking off about this are daft. We’ve got enough games man imagine how devastated we would be if Gordon / Longstaff got injured in these glorified friendlies #nufc
@kay1eighk7: Kalvin Phillips – costing City goals all over the place in ahead of Sean Longstaff – scored a goal in Europe’s elite competition and playing well every week. And don’t even get me started on Gordon not getting a call up. Piss off Southgate.
@Just_Conway: As expected! Pickford, Maguire, Henderson & Phillips still getting picked despite them either not been playing, conceding a shit tonne of goals or playing in front of 9,000 people. Still nothing for Ward-Prowse 🤷🏻♂️
@leonmitchell: How’s Kalvin Philips in this squad man. And Everton lose every week and Pickford still in there looool. Nick Pope got 5 clean sheets in a row. Make it make sense
@Aaron_Cox89: The fact none of Konsa, Longstaff and Gordon are in this squad and the likes of Henderson, Phillips and Maguire are is baffling.
@dxnrzx: Ward-Prowse must be thinking how Henderson and Phillips are getting picked ahead of him
@NUFCLC: Are people in even surprised anymore? Phillips spends his time cheerleading his teammates whilst Longstaff is playing the likes of PSG off the park in midfield and doesn’t get a look in. What a weird freak of a manager he is
@AVFCchats: How Konsa doesn’t get picked I’ll never know. Meanwhile here comes HARRY MAGUIRE
@whualfie_: Henderson & Phillips but no JWP okay then 🧐
@avfckian_: Maguire over Konsa 😂😂 sooner Southgate is gone the better
@joemfootbaIl: Henderson over Ward-Prowse again. What happened to shame?
@minto22: Absolute disgrace. “Will pick players on form”. Bollocks. Phillips and Henderson getting in ahead of Longstaff is criminal. Time for a change at the helm.
@DanNUFC23: I’ve never gave a shit about the national team anyway but Southgate continues to absolutely baffle me with them selections 😂 I’m glad players like Gordon and Longstaff are being overlooked tbf rather have them fresh for us. Get Trippier withdrawn as well why not
@mathieu_yates: JWP and Longstaff been playing their best ever football and this prick still chooses Henderson and Phillips
@1MichaelJAustin: My god, that England squad is a joke. Gordon (at a minimum) should be in that squad easily.
@mattybarbs: If I was JWP I’d be telling Southgate where to go next time he gets a call up. Beyond a joke now. Phillips getting rewarded for literally having his feet up with a cigar.
@Parksy17: No Pope, Konza, JWP. Southgate must hate them all 🙃
@reel_villan: Southgate is a fraud. That squad is a joke. No Konsa?! Maguire in the squad again?! I could go on but it’s pointless. The sooner we get rid of the clown the better… #England
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