LONDON, United Kingdom, Oct 1 – Manchester United captain Harry Maguire was Thursday named in England’s squad for games against Wales, Belgium and Denmark after being dropped following his conviction in a Greek court.
Gareth Southgate called up Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the first time, as well as Leicester’s Harvey Barnes and Bukayo Saka of Arsenal.
Maguire’s Manchester United team-mate Mason Greenwood and Manchester City’s Phil Foden were both omitted from the 30-man squad after being sent home from England’s camp in Iceland last month for breaching coronavirus rules.
Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood (left) and Manchester City’s Phil Foden have been left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad © AFP/File / HECTOR RETAMAL, Adrian DENNIS
Southgate called up Maguire in August for Nations League games against Iceland and Denmark but was forced to backtrack later the same day after the 27-year-old was found guilty on various charges, including assaulting a police officer, following an incident on the island of Mykonos.
Maguire, who strenuously denies the offences, has appealed against the verdict, which resulted in a 21-month suspended prison sentence.
The appeal nullified his conviction and there will be a full retrial in a more senior court.
The centre-back has since played in United’s opening two Premier League games, as well as the League Cup win at Luton.
– Rebuild trust –
Southgate had said previously that “trust needs to be rebuilt” with Greenwood and Foden but added on Thursday they would be in contention for his next squad.
“We have to send a message to all our players in our teams at every age level that that sort of thing isn’t how we do things with England,” he said.
“Then we’ve got to rehabilitate these two boys. Young people will make mistakes. These lads have suffered enough now.”
Southgate said Calvert-Lewin, who has already scored eight goals for Everton, including two hat-tricks, this season had caught the eye.
“Dominic is a player we’ve liked for a long time,” he said. “What he has added over the last 18 months are goals. Of course for a striker they are critical. He is in a really rich vein of form.”
The England boss said players’ workload would be managed.
“Our aim is to manage the squad,” he said. “We have got to be responsible. We are conscious of the welfare of the players.”
England play Wales in a friendly at Wembley on October 8 before hosting Belgium and Denmark in Nations League matches on October 11 and October 14.
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, Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse, Harry Winks
Forwards: Tammy Abraham, Harvey Barnes, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jack Grealish, Danny Ings, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Raheem Sterling
