Gareth Southgate has named his England squad for October’s World Cup qualifying fixtures against Andorra and Hungary.
England can secure qualification for Qatar 2022 during the upcoming international break, should the Three Lions secure successive victories and results elsewhere go in their favour.
Southgate has recalled AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori to the squad with Manchester United’s Harry Maguire sidelined through injury, the former having so far failed to add to the sole cap he won against Kosovo in November 2019.
The England manager spoke on the 23-year-old’s call-up at a press conference and says he has been impressed with Tomori’s performances since leaving Chelsea for Milan.
“I like Fikayo (Tomori) in terms of his aggressiveness of defending. Because he’s got speed he’s confident enough to defend on the front foot & he’s improving on the ball as well.
“I have been very impressed. I thought he finished last season well. We were tracking him well last season and he is playing well this season. He is at a club that’s expected to win every week, I thought he did well vs Liverpool and Juventus.”
There is no place in the squad for Patrick Bamford despite his first call-up in September, though Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins returns to the squad after injury.
Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood and Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham are also excluded.
England squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Defenders: Conor Coady (Wolves), Reece James (Chelsea), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Declan Rice (West Ham)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jadon Sancho (Manchester United), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
