England latest: trio miss Nations League openers

Last updated : 06 September 2024 By Three Lions

A combination of illness and injury has ruled Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins out of England's opening matches of the new season, the trip to Dublin on Saturday and Tuesday's home game with Finland at Wembley.

Lee Carsley named the attacking trio in his first selection as interim manager but has decided against calling up replacements for the Nations League fixtures.

The absence of Foden and Palmer leaves more scope for potential senior debuts for the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and the Nottingham Forest man has been speaking in glowing terms about Carsley this week, the two having worked together with England's successful under-21 group.

"I was buzzing when I found out that he got the job as he really deserved it and I feel like it suits him perfectly," Gibbs-White told the press.

Jude Bellingham was already an absentee when the squad was named but the Real Madrid star is one of six of England's Euro 2024 squad to have been named on the shortlist for the 2024 men's Ballon d'Or award.

Foden, Palmer, Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are also on the longlist.