The sole newcomer in Gareth Southgate’s England team for their last two games before the World Cup begins in November was Brentford attacker Ivan Toney.
Later this month, England will play host to Germany in the Nations League and travel to Italy in an effort to redeem themselves after a disastrous start to the campaign.
The group’s first four games have yielded only two points for Southgate’s team, including a humiliating 4-0 loss to Hungary last time out at home.
As a manager of an international team, Southgate said, “Clearly, you don’t have any games to immediately put the disappointment behind you.”
“After a lengthy time of reflection, we are now eagerly anticipating two excellent matches that will serve as both a significant test for us and an essential component of our World Cup preparation.
“We will be picking our team for Qatar in only eight weeks, so every minute matters.”
Toney’s strong start to the season has been rewarded with five goals in seven Premier League appearances.
We have been keeping tabs on him for a while, said Southgate.
“Thomas Frank, the manager of Brentford, and I had a fantastic conversation about him last season. In comparison to some of the other players we may choose, his form and qualities—not only his goal-scoring prowess but also his technical skill, build-up play, and aerial prowess—give us a new danger.
With the exception of Toney’s addition, Southgate has stuck with the nucleus of the squad that made the Euro 2020 final.
Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw from Manchester United are both part of the 28-man roster despite being benched by their club under Erik Ten Hag.
Since transferring to Manchester City, Kalvin Phillips has also had difficulty getting into games, while Ben Chilwell of Chelsea has just recently made a full recovery from a long-term injury.
Southgate said, “Clearly, we have a number of players who aren’t getting a lot of playing time with their club, like Ben Chilwell, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, and Kalvin Phillips.
“Though not ideal, we believe they have been and may continue to be significant contributors for us. There is still a lot more football to be played before Qatar, however the scenario is not ideal.
Due to injury, Marcus Rashford’s chances of being recalled were dashed, and Jadon Sancho is unable to join the team. As a result, two more United players are still absent.
Jordan Pickford, the starter goalie, is also out due to a thigh injury.
Total squad:
Goalkeepers: Nick Pope (Newcastle), Aaron Ramsdale, and Dean Henderson from Nottingham Forest (Arsenal)
Defensemen include Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool, Ben Chilwell and Reece James of Chelsea, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw of Manchester United, Eric Dier of Tottenham, John Stones and Kyle Walker of Manchester City, Fikayo Tomori of AC Milan/Ita, Kieran Trippier of Newcastle, Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace, and Conor Coady of Dublin (Everton)
Midfielders: James Ward-Prowse, Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips, Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/Ger), and Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City) (Southampton)
Forwards: Ivan Toney (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Tammy Abraham (Roma/Ita) (Brentford)