England’s preparations for their upcoming Nations League fixtures have been significantly impacted by the withdrawal of three key players: Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Ollie Watkins.
Manchester City forward Foden, who was recently named PFA Player of the Year, has been sidelined due to illness and did not report to the squad.
Chelsea’s Palmer and Aston Villa’s Watkins initially joined the squad at St George’s Park but have since returned to their clubs to continue rehabilitation for ongoing injuries, as confirmed by the Football Association.
The Three Lions are set to face the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, September 7, before hosting Finland at Wembley three days later.
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These matches mark the start of a new era for England following Gareth Southgate’s resignation after their Euro 2024 final loss to Spain on July 14.
Interim manager Lee Carsley has taken charge and has made several bold selections for his squad, including call-ups for Angel Gomes, Tino Livramento, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Noni Madueke, all of whom previously played under Carsley during his tenure as the Under-21 manager.
Despite the setbacks, Carsley remains focused on implementing his vision for the national team in these crucial fixtures. The FA has stated that no additional players will be called up to replace the withdrawn trio, emphasizing confidence in the remaining squad members to step up in their absence.
