Tottenham Hotspurs striker, Dominic Solanke and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham headline Lee Carsley’s England squad for the October international fixtures, as the interim manager makes several notable changes following a successful debut in the senior dugout last month.
After overseeing a perfect start to England’s Nations League B campaign, Carsley has opted to shake things up, with Solanke among the fresh faces.
The Tottenham Hotspur forward, who has only one prior England cap, earned in November 2017, has earned a recall following a string of impressive performances for Spurs.
His recent form has seen him net three goals in three games, securing his place in Carsley’s plans.
However, despite his stellar club form, Solanke’s Spurs teammate, James Maddison, has been overlooked once again, leaving fans puzzled as to why the creative midfielder hasn’t made the cut.
In midfield, the most significant return is that of Jude Bellingham. The Real Madrid star, having recovered from injury, is set to experience his first international camp under Carsley’s guidance.
Bellingham was unavailable for September’s fixtures and has never played under Carsley, as he was fast-tracked into the senior team before the current manager took charge of the Under-21s.
Manchester City’s Kyle Walker also makes a return to the squad after missing the previous international break. The veteran defender’s experience will be valuable in England’s crucial upcoming matches.
Despite several exciting call-ups, Carsley has left Aston Villa’s in-form midfielder Morgan Rogers out of the squad.
Rogers has contributed two goals and one assist this season but has yet to do enough to secure a place in the national setup.
Notably, there is no place for Manchester United’s Harry Maguire or Luke Shaw. Maguire, struggling for game time at Old Trafford, has been dropped, while Shaw continues to recover from injury and is expected back later in October.
England, currently sitting second in their Nations League B group behind Greece due to goal difference, face a decisive clash with the Greeks at Wembley on October 10.
A win could propel them to the top of the group, ahead of their away fixture against Finland on October 13, where they will be aiming to replicate their 2-0 victory from last month.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers:Dean Henderson, Crystal Palace, Jordan Pickford, Everton, Nick Pope, Newcastle United.
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool, Levi Colwill, Chelsea, Marc Guéhi, Crystal Palace, Ezri Konsa, Aston Villa, Rico Lewis, Manchester City, John Stones, Manchester City, Kyle Walker, Manchester City.
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid, Phil Foden, Manchester City, Conor Gallagher, Atletico Madrid, Morgan Gibbs-White, Nottingham Forest, Angel Gomes, Lille, Kobbie Mainoo, Manchester United, Cole Palmer, Chelsea, Declan Rice, Arsenal.
Forwards: Anthony Gordon, Newcastle United, Jack Grealish, Manchester City, Harry Kane, Bayern Munich, Noni Madueke, Chelsea, Bukayo Saka, Arsenal, Dominic Solanke, Tottenham Hotspur, Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa.
