Daniel Sturridge decision made by England, says Roy Hodgson

England manager Roy Hodgson says the decision to leave Daniel Sturridge out of the squad for the forthcoming European Qualifiers was made by himself and his management team.

Sturridge made his return from a long-term hip injury last month and scored his first two goals of the new season in Liverpool's 3-2 victory over Aston Villa last Saturday. 

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers decided to leave the 26-year-old out of his squad for Thursday's Europa League group match with Sion, but insisted he would have no issue with Sturridge being recalled to the international set up. 

Rodgers, however, did warn Hodgson the forward, who has not featured for England since a 1-0 friendly win over Norway in September 2014, would be unable to play two games in four days at this current stage. 

England face Estonia, on October 9, and Lithuania, on October 12, in their final European Qualifiers. Having already booked their place at the finals in France, Hodgson has decided against including Sturridge and insists the decision was taken prior to Rodgers making his feeling clear at his press conference ahead of the clash with Sion. 

"It was actually before, though I have spoken to Brendan. He was happy for Daniel to go and I was pleased to hear that," Hodgson said. 

"But we had our meeting - that's myself, Ray Lewington and Gary Neville - to discuss the squad and we made a decision then. We think it is better for him, having just come back, to really concentrate on what is really a pre-season for him over these two weeks and I think that will be very important for him. 

"We can survive without him over these two games, when we are already qualified. We are hoping for Daniel that he is a player that comes to us in November super fit, fully recovered and in great form. We think the best way to have that man in November is to leave him in October."

Sturridge's Liverpool team-mate Danny Ings has been included in the senior set up for the first time. Ings featured 13 times for England U21s, scoring four times, and played for Gareth Southgate's side at the European Championship in the Czech Republic in the summer. 

We can survive without him over these two games, when we are already qualified.

Ings has been joined in the squad by Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli, also receiving his first senior call-up after making an impressive start to life at White Hart Lane. 

"Danny was someone we followed very closely at Burnley last year, but we didn't really have a chance to bring him in with us as he was an important member of the U21s," Hodgson said. 

"We never felt we could rob them. But now he is a senior it was a good opportunity to bring him in, especially now that he has been playing at Liverpool and scoring goals."

He added: "Dele Alli is perhaps the more offbeat one because he is so young and has only just broken into the Tottenham team, but we've been very impressed by what we've seen of him. 

"We are a year away from France and I think this is a good opportunity to ask him to come with us on this occasion - as so many midfielders are missing through injury - and get to know him better as going forward who knows where he'll end up as he is a very exciting talent."

Southampton left-back Ryan Bertrand has been recalled to the squad in place of the injured Luke Shaw. The Manchester United defender featured for England in last month's victories over San Marino and Switzerland, but misses out after breaking his leg in two places during the Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven.

Shaw is expected to miss the next six months and is highly unlikely to feature for England at next summer's finals in France. 

Hodgson admits it is a cruel blow to the player and for England. 

"Luke knows how much we care about him. He will realise that from the work he has done with us and from what I and the rest of the coaching staff have said to him. We have high hopes for Luke in 2016," he said. 

"We were certainly punting on him being the left-back and maybe being the best left-back at the tournament. It is a cruel blow and in particular it is a cruel blow to him. 

"England will survive and he will survive too. But at that stage of your career to suffer that type of injury when you've almost had a full year of not playing means almost two years. It is heart-breaking and I think he knows how much we care.

"We like him, believe in him and want him with us so much that if it was the case he (was back by March) he would be seriously be under consideration.

"But he would have to: A) be fully-recovered and 100 per cent fit and B) playing again in the Manchester United team for us to pick him. I would love to have that situation."