Ivan Toney called up to England squad, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho left out
Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been called up to the England squad for the first time for September’s Nations League matches, but Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho miss out.
Gareth Southgate’s side will do battle with Italy and Germany in League A Group 3 on September 23 and 26 respectively as the Three Lions finalise their preparations for the 2022 World Cup.
Toney has opened the new Premier League season in fine form for the Bees, scoring five goals and setting up two more in six outings, and the 26-year-old has earned his maiden call-up.
However, Manchester United duo Rashford and Sancho have both failed to make the cut, with the former not risked for September’s matches due to a muscular problem.
Justifying his decision to include Toney for September’s clashes, Southgate told englandfootball.com: “With Ivan Toney, we have been tracking him for a long time. I had a good chat with Thomas Frank about him last season.
With Jordan Pickford out injured, Nottingham Forest loanee Dean Henderson makes the cut alongside Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope, while Kyle Walker is also included despite a recent injury.
Jude Bellingham, Phillips, Mason Mount, Declan Rice and James Ward-Prowse represent the only five midfield options in Southgate’s squad, with the Three Lions coach electing not to call upon Harvey Elliott, while Jordan Henderson misses out through injury.
Manchester City’s Jack Grealish and West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen are both preferred to Sancho in attack, and Southgate has once again overlooked James Maddison for selection.
ENGLAND SQUAD IN FULL:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Nottingham Forest, loan from Manchester United), Nick Pope (Newcastle United), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Everton, loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (West Ham United), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)
Forwards: Tammy Abraham (AS Roma), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Ivan Toney (Brentford)
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