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Calvert-Lewin gets England call-up, Foden & Greenwood left out

In-form Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has earned his first call-up to the senior England squad, while Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood were dropped for disciplinary reasons.

England host a friendly with Wales next Thursday (Oct 8) before Nations League matches at home to top-ranked Belgium (Oct 11) and Denmark (Oct 14).

Calvert-Lewin has scored eight goals in five games in all competitions this season, including a hat-trick against West Ham United in the League Cup fourth round on Wednesday.

“A lot of Dominic’s game I’ve liked for a long time, what he’s adding now is the goals that haven’t always been there and, in the last 18 months or so, he has really improved in that area,” England manager Gareth Southgate said on Thursday.

“He’s been a big part of how well Everton have started the season and I’m very pleased to be able to call him up for the first time.”

There are also first senior call-ups for Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes and Arsenal defender Bukayo Saka.

The decision to leave out Manchester City midfielder Foden and Manchester United forward Greenwood was widely expected after an incident during last month’s international break.

The pair had been called up to the England senior squad for the first time, but were sent home after breaching Covid-19 protocols in Iceland by meeting up with two women inside the public areas of the team hotel.

Both players issued apologies in the aftermath of the incident, but Southgate had said they would have to regain his trust before they can be considered for selection.

“They are two very talented players, but there are two parts,” he said.

“We have to send a message to all players in our teams, at every level, that that sort of thing isn’t how we do things with England but then we also have to rehabilitate these two boys, young people will make mistakes.

“These lads have suffered enough, we think they need this period of reflection, but then that gives them the opportunity to get back on their feet with their clubs and enjoy their football.”

Southgate also added that any future decision on whether to call them up would purely be based on form.

United centre-back Maguire returns after he was withdrawn for the Nations League matches against Iceland and Denmark following his arrest and trial in Greece during the close-season.

A Greek court found Maguire guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult following a brawl on the island of Mykonos.

The 27-year-old was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days, but the United captain has been granted a full retrial after appealing the convictions.

England are second in Nations League A Group 2 with four points from two games, two points behind leaders Belgium. Denmark have one point and Iceland have none. – REUTERS

ENGLAND SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
DEFENDERS: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben Chilwell, Conor Coady, Eric Dier, Joe Gomez, Michael Keane, Harry Maguire, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Tyrone Mings, Bukayo Saka, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker
MIDFIELDERS: Jordan Henderson, Jack Grealish, Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse, Harry Winks
FORWARDS: Tammy Abraham, Harvey Barnes, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Danny Ings, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Raheem Sterling

FootballenglandThree LionsDominic Calvert-LewinevertonGareth SouthgateWalesBELGIUMDenmarkHarry MaguireMason GreenwoodPhil Foden