Palmer, Grealish, Alexander-Arnold among England injured, Barcelona pair on ice
English referee suspended over social media rant at ‘arrogant’ Klopp as football prepares for return of Nations League
Today’s theme, injuries. It used to be that an international break in the football calendar meant pointless friendlies and important players conveniently going down with a host of ailments that prevented them being part of games only ticket bosses and marketing managers loved.
While the Nations League aren’t friendlies, there’s certainly an argument to be made that they add little value to the sport, beyond padding out income for stadiums and justifying the eye-watering amounts of money TV companies spend on football rights.
Still, that hasn’t stopped the injuries and the withdrawals, although given the amount of football, many are far more legitimate than they used to be. So, here’s who’s in and who’s out.
Easy come, easy go
England interim manager Lee Carsley has given a first senior call-up to Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers as one of five additions to his last squad after eight players pulled out.
The team faces Greece in Athens on Thursday before hosting Ireland three days later. Both games are in the Nations League.
Seven of the players to drop out came from the top four clubs in the Premier League: Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer of Chelsea; Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka; Manchester City midfielders Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold. The eighth withdrawal was Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Rogers was promoted from the under-21 squad alongside Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, Newcastle’s Tino Livramento and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite. Of the quartet only centre-back Branthwaite has a senior England cap. West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, who has 12 senior caps, was also added to the squad.
Barcelona pair on ice
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski and teenage winger Lamine Yamal will miss this month’s Nations League games for Poland and Spain respectively with injuries.
