Eight players withdraw from England squad

Interim England manager Lee Carsley has been forced to call up five new players into his squad for November’s fixtures after a number of players withdrew from the Three Lions for various reasons.

Carsley handed call-ups to Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford

 West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen, Everton center-back Jarrad Branthwaite, Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento, and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.

These players come in for the UEFA Nations’ League games against Greece and Republic of Ireland on November 14th and 17th respectively to replace the eight players who have pulled out as of Monday evening.

The players who have pulled out for several reasons include Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice and teammate Bukayo Saka, Chelsea duo of Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer, Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale, Manchester City midfielders Phil Foden and Jack Grealish have been excused from the team.

While Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Levi Colwill’s reasons haven’t been disclosed, the rest of the absentees have been due to varying degrees of injuries sustained over the weekend at their respective clubs.

Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice were substituted in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford bridge, Trent Alexander-Arnold was stretched in Liverpool’s win over Aston Villa at the weekend while Ramsdale has fractured a finger.

One of the strange call-ups was that of Manchester City forward Jack Grealish, who has not featured for City since October 20 but has also now withdrawn from the squad.

Updated England squad:

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Burnley).

Defenders: Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Rico Lewis (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Southampton), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Tino Livramento (Newcastle).

Midfielders: Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Angel Gomes (Lille), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa).

Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham).