Bukayo Saka named in England's squad despite injury concerns; Jarrod Bowen and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins get recalls; James Ward-Prowse again misses out despite bright start to season with West Ham; Raheem Sterling also absent again; England play Australia and Italy
Thursday 5 October 2023 19:57, UK
Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka has been included in England's squad for October's matches against Australia and Italy despite injury concerns, while West Ham's Jarrod Bowen and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins earn recalls to Gareth Southgate's squad.
However, Saka is deemed fit enough to be included in Southgate's plans for the friendly against Australia and the Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy, despite still being assessed by Arsenal.
"He's still being assessed," Southgate said. "Arsenal have got a big game this weekend and then there's another seven days before we play Australia and 10 days before we play Italy.
"Everybody will monitor everything as we go forward."
Meanwhile, Bowen and Watkins are recalled after impressive starts to the season for West Ham and Aston Villa respectively.
Watkins, who has scored seven goals in all competitions so far this season, has not been called up since March 2022 and returns days after Southgate watched the striker score a hat-trick in Aston Villa's 6-1 win against Brighton.
Bowen returns to the England squad for the first time since September 2022 having scored five goals in seven league games for West Ham.
One the selections of Bowen and Watkins, Southgate added: "We have added Jarrod Bowen in the wide areas - he's scored five in seven games - and with the Australia game, there's an opportunity to learn some different things.
"Ollie Watkins has started the season well. He's hit a bit of scoring form in the last couple of weeks. You have to be careful with that because you can't just go on recency bias when you're looking at selection, but he is in good form. He's coming in on a high.
"He's been with us before; we know his character, his personality. He's a good guy around the group. He's playing for a club that are really well-coached and the team are in a good moment."
Southgate's 26-player squad for the October double-header sees uncapped Levi Colwill and Eddie Nketiah again get the nod.
Southgate's squad is light on left-backs, with Chelsea's Colwill the only player with any real experience of playing there.
Southgate said of the 20-year-old: "We are conscious that most of his football has been as a centre-back and it's his preference and strongest position, but we are without a lot of experience at left-back and he is playing there regularly.
"We have some other centre-backs that can fill in at full-back, it's an area we need to find out about a few players because depth in that area in the league is not that strong.
"He was good in the Euros for the Under-21s and is adapting well to life back at Chelsea and has a real maturity about his game - we are very hopeful about his future."
John Stones also returns to the squad after returning from a spell on the side-lines as Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips retain their places despite ongoing questions over playing time, with Man Utd and Man City respectively.
Jordan Henderson also keeps his place after moving to Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia in the summer.
However, there was still no place for West Ham midfielder James Ward-Prowse despite his fine start to life in east London, while Raheem Sterling was again an absentee after Southgate overlooked the 82-cap Chelsea forward for September's fixtures.
Ben Chilwell, Eberechi Eze and Callum Wilson were also ruled out, while Mason Mount misses out despite
returning to action with Manchester United.
Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal).
Defenders: Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayi Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Al-Ettifaq), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (Arsenal).
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham), Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
England's next outing is against Australia in a friendly at Wembley on October 13 ; kick-off 7.45pm.
Their next Euro 2024 qualifier is versus Italy on Tuesday October 17; kick-off 7.45pm.
In November, they face Malta at home (November 17; kick-off 7.45pm), before a trip to North Macedonia (November 20; kick-off 7.45pm.
