New England interim manager Lee Carsley will have fewer options at his disposal for the upcoming Nations League matches after it was announced that Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins would all be unavailable. Foden is still struggling with illness, while Palmer and Watkins have minor knocks and will “continue their rehabilitation” at their respective clubs.
Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins have withdrawn from the England squad to play the Republic of Ireland and Finland in the Nations League.
All three players had been selected by interim manager Lee Carsley for the latest Three Lions squad, but none will be available after returning to their respective clubs.
Foden is out through illness having missed Manchester City’s Premier League fixtures against Ipswich and West Ham.
Palmer and Watkins, meanwhile, are struggling with “ongoing issues”, according to the FA. Both players started in their matches for Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively last weekend.
It remains to be seen who Carsley will select to replace the absent trio, although there are several new faces in the interim manager’s first squad.
Angel Gomes, Tino Livramento, Morgan Gibbs-White and Noni Madueke have all been called up, while Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire have returned to the fold.
Carsley was appointed as interim boss last month after Gareth Southgate’s exit following Euro 2024.
The expectation will be for a winning start to his tenure as England make the trip to Dublin to face Ireland in what promises to be a fiery encounter.
A home clash with Finland will then offer fans the first chance to see Carsley’s new-look England side in action.
But he will be without three potentially key players in Watkins, Palmer and Foden.
City manager Pep Guardiola gave an update on Foden’s condition before it was announced that he would not play for England.
“He doesn’t feel well, otherwise he would be here,” Guardiola said.
“But national teams decide. He doesn’t feel good with his stomach and he has a little virus but people say with antibiotics and so on he will be fine.”
The severity of Watkins’ and Palmer’s injuries are unclear, although the suggestion is they have withdrawn from the England squad as a precautionary measure.