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There are now just seven days remaining before the start of the rescheduled European Championship and England manager Gareth Southgate faces a tough selection choice.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion was a key headline from the initial 26-man tournament squad announcement earlier this week, but the Liverpool right-back has now been ruled out of the Euros altogether and faces up to six weeks on the sidelines with a thigh injury sustained in the 1-0 friendly win over Austria.
Such a blow leaves Southgate with a tricky choice to make - does he opt to call-up another defender from the reserve list, or will his strength in depth in that area lead to a reprieve for a midfielder such as James Ward-Prowse or perhaps even Jesse Lingard?
The England boss does not plan to name his replacement for Alexander-Arnold until after Sunday’s final warm-up friendly against Romania in Middlesbrough - could that match offer one last chance for someone to take the initiative?
Southgate’s spirits will at least be lifted by Manchester United players joining camp on Thursday, while their Manchester City and Chelsea counterparts are expected to follow suit on Saturday following the additional rest afforded in the aftermath of last weekend’s Champions League Final.
There are also plenty of storylines ongoing outside of the England camp, with Belgium star Kevin De Bruyne’s status for the tournament still uncertain after those facial injuries suffered in Porto.
