Harry Kane is absent as England meet Wales in a friendly clash at Wembley tonight.
The Three Lions skipper picked up a knock playing for Bayern Munich at the weekend and did not train at St George’s Park on Wednesday, instead working indoors alongside Jarell Quansah, who is also be unavailable.
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England boss Thomas Tuchel confirmed on Wednesday evening that he is “convinced” Kane will return for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier in Latvia, but that he will miss the Wales game. Declan Rice captains the team in Kane’s absence.
There will therefore be a chance to impress up front for Ollie Watkins. Marc Guehi spoke to the media in the pre-match press conference on Wednesday evening so will start in defence.
Tuchel has named a very similar squad to that which contested last month’s World Cup qualifiers, with only injury-enforced changes made following the 2-0 home defeat of Andorra and 5-0 demolition of Serbia in Belgrade.
That means there will be no Jude Bellingham, Adam Wharton, Phil Foden or Jack Grealish involved against Wales or Latvia, when England could officially secure their place at next summer’s World Cup.
Chelsea captain Reece James was initially named in the squad last Friday but has since dropped out as a precaution. He was replaced by 20-year-old Manchester City left-back Nico O’Reilly, handed his first senior international call-up.
Bukayo Saka has returned to the England fold after injury, but his Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke is now sidelined. Also unavailable due to injury issues are Cole Palmer, Tino Livramento, Levi Colwill and Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The uncapped trio of O’Reilly, Jarell Quansah and goalkeeper James Trafford will all be hoping to be earn their senior international debuts. AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek would earn his first cap since 2018 if called upon for either game.
Tottenham’s Djed Spence, who made his England debut last month, is the only recognised right-back in the squad, but looks set to play at left-back.
Confirmed team news
England XI: Pickford; Konsa, Stones, Guehi, Spence; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Rogers, Gordon; Watkins.
Substitutes: Lewis-Skelly, Henderson, Kane, Eze, Rashford, Burn, Henderson, Gibbs-White, Loftus-Cheek, Bowen, Trafford, Quansah, O'Reilly.
