Adam Lallana has withdrawn from the England squad to face Spain and Switzerland after picking up a groin injury in training at St George’s Park on Tuesday.
The Liverpool midfielder suffered the problem during England’s first session and has returned to Liverpool for further assessment.
Gareth Southgate is already without Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling, who did not report at St George’s Park on Monday after notifying the England boss that he is suffering from a back issue.
No immediate replacement for Sterling was announced, but Southgate may be forced to bolster his squad numbers now that Lallana has also withdrawn from the squad.
Lallana is highly regarded by Southgate, but missed out on a place at the World Cup after thigh and hamstring injuries limited him to just one Premier League start for Liverpool last season.
The 30-year-old was one of five new faces in Southgate’s squad to face Spain in a Uefa Nations League match at Wembley and Switzerland in a friendly at the King Power Stadium in Leicester. Luke Shaw, Joe Gomez, James Tarkowski and Alex McCarthy were also called up.
Ashley Young was the most notable name dropped by Southgate after losing his starting spot at Manchester United to Shaw, while Chelsea captain Gary Cahill and Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy both informed Southgate that they want to focus on their club careers for the foreseeable future – though neither man has formally retired from England duty.
