Raheem Sterling was the headline absentee as Gareth Southgate handed Eberechi Eze his first England call-up and ended Lewis Dunk’s time in the international wilderness.
Having kicked off Euro 2024 qualification with wins over Italy and Ukraine, attention turns to June’s straightforward-looking doubleheader against Malta and North Macedonia.
Sterling is the most eye-catching absentee for those games as a difficult first season since swapping Manchester City for Chelsea comes to a frustrating conclusion.
The 28-year-old has not played for England since the World Cup quarter-final exit to France – when a burglary at home disrupted his preparations – as injury ruled him out of the March camp.
“I spoke with him a week or so ago – a general catch-up,” England boss Southgate said.
“He’s not happy physically with his condition, having been carrying a hamstring problem. He really wasn’t in consideration.
“So, we didn’t get to the point of whether he should be in or out. He doesn’t think he is operating at the level he needs.”
A representative for Sterling called it a “mutual decision” that allows the player to focus on “recuperating his body in preparation for the upcoming season”.
The 28-year-old is determined to play a key role for England next term and Southgate says he can get back into the fold ahead of next year’s finals, as can omitted Tottenham defender Eric Dier.
“As we’ve shown with Tyrone (Mings) coming back (this time) and other players like Trent (Alexander-Arnold) coming back in, the door is always open when players are playing well,” Southgate told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Eric and Raheem both have physical issues really at the moment that they’re dealing with, so there’s part of that is behind that decision as well.
“But there’s another year to go before the Euros and it’s possible for everybody to get in that squad.”
Mings, Alexander-Arnold, Callum Wilson and Sam Johnstone returned to the England squad as Southgate has largely stuck with the tried and tested for the Group C games, with Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eze the only uncapped player named in the group.
The 24-year-old finally get his shot with England after an Achilles injury cost him a place in the provisional Euro 2020 squad.
“We have liked him for a long time,” Southgate said.
“He was very unfortunate just before the Euros. We were going to call him into a prep camp to have a look at him and he got a bad injury.
“I remember talking to Roy Hodgson about him then and Roy telling me he’d picked up an injury in training that day.
“I think he has finished the season really strongly, he can play in a couple of positions across that attacking line.
“He’s a goal threat, he’s got nice ability and bursts of speed to go past people and to take people out of the game with dribbling skills.
“We’re looking forward to seeing him a bit closer and everybody I speak to talks brilliantly about him as a person as well.”
Dunk has played for England but the Brighton captain has not been selected since winning his first cap against the United States in November 2018.
“Brighton’s football this year has been exceptional and Lewis Dunk and Levi Cowell have been a big part of that,” Southgate said.
“He’s shown great composure with the ball, he’s asked to defend very often one against one situations and he thoroughly deserves his call.”
The squad also includes Marcus Rashford, who missed March’s fixtures and last featured for England in a qualifier in the run to the last Euros.
“He’s a super player who’s had a really good season, so he’s an important player for us,” Southgate told talkSPORT.
“We’ve not been blessed with having him to be able to put in the team too often but we’re hoping that’s different. And we’re looking forward to seeing him again.”
There is no place for Ben White, who has not featured for England since leaving Qatar after the World Cup group stage due to personal reasons.
“I spoke with Ben before the camp in March,” Southgate added.
“But at the moment, we’ve got (Kieran) Trippier and (Kyle) Walker in that area of the pitch.
“He’s had a very good season, as have the whole Arsenal team, but he’s not ahead of those guys at the moment.”
Ruel Sotiriou helps Leyton Orient to narrow victory over Shrewsbury
Leyton Orient recorded a hard-fought home victory over Shrewsbury with a solitary goal from Ruel Sotiriou separating the two sides.
There was a lively and positive start to the game with five corners within the opening eight minutes, the first in favour of the visitors within 16 seconds of the start.
The Shrews squandered a golden opportunity after four minutes when Max Mata was sent clear but saw his shot blocked by the outstretched foot of O’s goalkeeper Sol Brynn.
But O’s striker Sotiriou showed the way after 20 minutes when he slammed a shot into the roof of the net for his fourth goal of the season after Idris El Mizouni fashioned the opportunity.
The second period lacked quality with the visitors, who had not scored in their previous four league matches, showing their profligacy in front of goal with Brynn denying Ryan Bowman and Tom Flanagan.
At the opposite end, Sotiriou and Ethan Galbraith missed good opportunities to put the issue beyond all doubt for the hosts.
Barbados, Bermuda register wins in League B
The Road to the Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup continued with two League B encounters on Friday. Bermuda and Barbados started the tournament with three-point performances at home.
Barbados takes the top of Group C on goal difference given their larger margin of victory, while Bermuda starts in position to challenge for first place. The Dominican Republic and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will look to avenge their defeats with a home match next week.
Bermuda vs Dominican Republic
Bermuda opened their campaign with a 2-0 home win over the Dominican Republic at the National Sports Centre in Devonshire Parish, Bermuda.
Jaden Masters opened the scoring in the 10th with a rocket from long range to send the home fans into ecstasy. This came just seconds after the Lady Warriors were close to taking the lead on an attempt from Eva Frazzoni going just wide.
Winibian Peralta attempted to equalize in the 20th from a free kick but the attempt was caught by goalkeeper Zakhari Turner.
Lucia Marte provided a dangerous hit across goal in the 32th as the Dominican Republic continued to search for the tying goal.
Masters earned her brace in the 45+1 on a Bermuda fast break, slipping the ball past goalkeeper Odaliana Gomez just outside the edge of the box.
Masters nearly completed her hat-trick in the 55th but Gomez made a big stop to keep the score within reach.
Turner ended the day with seven saves as she collected her first clean sheet of the tournament and Bermuda its first three points.
Barbados vs Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Barbados won 5-0 over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to start its campaign at the Wildey Turf Stadium in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Shanice Stevenson opened the scoring in the 10th from a free kick chance. Goalkeeper Altica Benn tried to stop the attempt but the potent was too much to contain.
Rianna Cyrus extended the lead in the 19th with some nifty footwork inside the box to convert on a delivery from Shauntae Hinds.
Cyrus extended the lead again in the 22th by evading the keeper and hitting a precise ball outside the right side of the goal area. Stevenson provided the through ball into the box.
Prior to the halftime whistle, at 45+2, Cyrus completed her hat-trick off a free kick service from Stevenson.
Cheyanna Burnett-Griffith scored a fifth for Barbados in the 75th with a strike off the bouncing ball. Keinelle Johnson provided the cross from the left flank to find Burnett-Griffith inside the area.
The defense provided a strong outing in its home opener by holding Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to zero shots on target. Kamilla Burke made an important save outside the box during the closing minutes to preserve the clean sheet.
Luton off the mark after come-from-behind draw against 10-man Wolves
Luton claimed their first point of the Premier League season with a 1-1 draw against 10-men Wolves at Kenilworth Road.
Carlton Morris’ penalty cancelled out Pedro Neto’s earlier strike to share the spoils in a positive Hatters performance.
Rob Edwards will be proud of his side’s display but will leave thinking his side should have used the extra-man more effectively after Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was sent off in the 39th minute.
Edwards experimented with a 4-4-2 and the change in shape worked in the early stages as the Hatters enjoyed possession and space out wide through Chiedozie Ogbene and Jacob Brown, who nearly got on the end of a dangerous cross in the fifth minute.
Kenilworth Road’s vocal support set the tone and striker Morris nearly rewarded it in the 10th minute when his thunderous long-range effort cannoned off one of Jose Sa’s posts.
Edwards would have wanted a response after a poor second half against Fulham last week and he got that through midfield duo Marvelous Nakamba and Albert Sambi Lokonga who relentlessly pressed, tackled and played dangerous passes as the hosts began to ramp up the pressure.
Wolves began to work their way into the game after 30 minutes and strung neat passages together before the creative Bellegarde produced a stunning through ball in behind, but there was no one there to get on the end of it.
But the Frenchman undid his positive work when he was shown a straight red card. The midfielder was dispossessed by Tom Lockyer and he kicked out at the Luton captain before he was given his marching orders by referee Josh Smith.
Wolves held on during added time but the home side were hot out the traps in the second half when Morris got on the end of strike partner’s Ogbene’s cross in the 48th minute but his effort was saved by Sa.
Luton were on top but it was Wolves who took a 1-0 lead against the run of play in the 50th minute.
Neto gambled on a long ball and beat Lockyer in a foot race before he shrugged the defender off, cut in on his left foot and produced a thumping strike past Thomas Kaminski.
The Premier League newcomers paid the price yet again for a simple lapse of concentration.
Kenilworth Road cried out for a response and in the 65th minute Luton levelled the contest.
Joao Gomes handled the ball in the box and after a VAR check Morris stepped up, stuttered in his run up and finished calmy past Sa into the bottom left corner.
Target man Elijah Adebayo was brought on by Edwards and orange shirts marauded down the flanks and whipped in crosses in search of the striker but they were denied by Wolves’ tight defence.
Nakamba’s shot was deflected into the path of Ogbene who finished his effort but it was ruled offside and Luton could not get the goal they searched for in six minutes of added time.
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