Dominic Solanke has received his first England call-up in seven years but Harry Maguire has been left out of the latest squad named by interim boss Lee Carsley.
Solanke, 27, has scored three goals in his past three appearances for Tottenham and will now have the chance to add to his solitary England cap, which he earned as a sub against Brazil in a friendly in 2017, when the Three Lions face Greece and Finland in the Nations League this month.
However, Carsley – who continues to oversee the national team while the FA decide on a permanent successor to Gareth Southgate – has left Manchester United centre-back Maguire out of his group. The defender missed United’s defeat to Tottenham on Sunday with injury but was in the club’s travelling squad to play Porto in the Europa League on Thursday night.
“Harry was very positive in the conversation we had,” said Carsley about Maguire, who featured during last month’s Nations League opener against Republic of Ireland. “It was a case of talking about what the decision was, we have some really good centre-backs who are keen to play. Harry still has an important part to play in this squad in the campaign.”
Solanke’s Spurs team-mate James Maddison has once again been overlooked by the interim boss, while Jarrod Bowen and Eberechi Eze – who appeared as subs in both fixtures last month – have been dropped, as has Tino Livramento.
Jude Bellingham is back in the fold after missing the September games with injury, as is Kyle Walker.
Morgan Rogers, who has made an impressive start to the season for Aston Villa, is set to once again be with the U21 squad rather than the seniors.
“It was a chance to have a look at other players,” said Carsley on the omissions. “It’s nothing to do with form. It’s looking at the next two camps to look at other players.
“The players left out all have a case but we saw the benefit in the last camp of the squad being fresh, feeling fresh and a lot of energy in it. It’s not just a copy and a paste, I want them to feel like they all have earned their place in the squad. People want to know where they stand long-term, I’ve told all the players this is a short-term situation.”
England currently sit second in their Nations League Group B2, level on points with Greece having beaten Ireland and Finland in Carsley’s first two games in charge.
England will host Greece at Wembley on Thursday October 10 before going to Finland on Sunday October 13.
England’s October Nations League squad in full
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Nick Pope (Newcastle).
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), John Stones (Man City), Rico Lewis (Man City), Kyle Walker (Man City).
Midfielders: Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottm Forest), Angel Gomes (Lille), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Phil Foden (Man City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid).
Forwards: Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Jack Grealish (Man City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham).
Maddison absence surprising after solid Spurs start
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:
The usual annual James Maddison cycle goes: start the season really well, get into the England squad, get injured or see a drop-off in form and then miss out on the Three Lions spot.
This year, however, Maddison has started the season brilliantly for Tottenham and that still is not enough to get into Lee Carsley’s set-up.
The midfielder’s absence from this squad is particularly surprising given Dominic Solanke has been named in this England squad.
The pair have been excellent together in the Spurs attack but only one has made the cut. Is it the right call?”
Seven years on, Solanke gets another England shot
Sky Sports’ Peter Smith:
Seven years. It’s been a long wait for Dominic Solanke to return to the England fold but the in-form Tottenham forward gets his chance to add to his solitary cap this month. And deservedly so, given the performances of the former Chelsea and Liverpool forward for Bournemouth last season and in his initial outings for new club Spurs.
Solanke – who has three in three for his club – made his England debut as a sub against Brazil in a 2017 friendly at Wembley. He will be aiming to run out at the national stadium again next Thursday. There will be plenty of competition for game time, though, with Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins also included…
‘Give Palmer the keys’
Sky Sports’ Nick Wright:
I’m firmly in agreement with Jamie Carragher. Cole Palmer is too good not to start for England. With six goals and four assists in the Premier League this season, to add to the 22 and 11 respectively he contributed last term, he continues to scale new heights.
Time to give him the keys and that means putting him at No 10. The 22-year-old is just as effective from the right, of course. But Bukayo Saka’s quality and consistency makes him undroppable, in my opinion. It therefore makes most sense to have Palmer on the inside.
Readjustment would be required elsewhere to make this work. But I think it’s worth it. Jude Bellingham can drop deeper, into a box-to-box role alongside Declan Rice. Phil Foden, meanwhile, has to wait in the wings, with Anthony Gordon’s pace making him an invaluable outlet on the left flank.
England’s upcoming fixtures
England host Greece at Wembley on October 10 at 7.45pm. Lee Carsely’s men then travel to the Helsinki Olympic Stadium to take on Finland on October 13 at 5pm.