Gareth Southgate has named three uncapped players in his 33-man provisional squad for Euro 2020,as Burnley’s Nick Pope misses out through injury.
Pope has been ruled out after needing knee surgery just mere three weeks before the tournament begins, which has resulted in Sheffield United’s Aaron Ramsdale receiving his first senior call-up.
Tottenham’s Eric Dier has been snubbed in defence with Brighton’s Ben White earning his maiden call-up to the provisional squad, as the Merseyside club rival defenders of Everton’s Ben Godfrey and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold return.
Jordan Henderson returns in midfield despite not playing since February for Liverpool, having suffered a groin injury, with Jurgen Klopp not rushing his return to ensure he was fit for the Euros.
Up front, Jack Grealish returns after recovering from a calf injury as Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood is back in the squad, having missed the last two international windows following a disciplinary incident in Iceland last September.
Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho return after missing March’s World Cup qualifiers with a thigh injury, as Ollie Watkins retains his place despite only receiving his maiden call-up two months ago.
All players must report to Middlesbrough’s Rockliffe Park Training Ground on Saturday 30 May 2021, ahead of preparations for friendly fixtures against Austria and Romania which take place at Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, on Wednesday 2 and Sunday 6 June.
Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Mason Mount, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling however will join the squad in the following days, as a result of being on club duty for Chelsea and Manchester City who meet in 2020-21 UEFA Champions League Final on that date.
Southgate however will announce his official 26-man squad for the main tournament on Tuesday 1 June, meaning that seven players will be omitted from the squad but could be named on the reserve list.
Here is England’s 33-man provisional squad for Euro 2020.
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield United)
Defence: Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), John Stones (Manchester City), Ben White (Brighton), Ben Godfrey (Everton), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Midfield – Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Jesse Lingard (West Ham, loan from Manchester United), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United), Declan Rice (West Ham), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)
Forward – Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Mason Greenwood (Manchester United), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
Who Could Miss Out?
With seven players set to miss out, all players know that they need to impress immediately in training to assure their places but I think that Southgate knows the majority of his squad with a few positions hanging in the balance.
Starting with the goalkeeper position, I think Pickford and Henderson will definitely be selected but it will be a battle between Sam Johnstone and Aaron Ramsdale for the final spot because both have enjoyed impressive personal seasons despite their clubs in West Brom and Sheffield Utd both getting relegated.
Across in defence, these eight players of; Chilwell, Coady, James, Mings, Shaw, Trippier, Walker and Stones should be assured of places in the final squad but if Maguire is still struggling with an ankle issue, it will open up the opportunity for one of White or Godfrey to steal his spot.
Alexander-Arnold meanwhile has struggled for game time under Southgate with Trippier his favoured right-back, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he misses out on the final squad unless he can deliver a strong performance in training to justify selection.
Henderson meanwhile feels like the only doubt in midfield given that he has been out injured since February, which I can see working against him with Phil Foden dropping into midfield from the forward selection.
That would leave seven forward positions to fill with Kane, Sterling, Rashford, Grealish and Calvert-Lewin the likely picks, with Sancho and Saka my final predictions for the last two spots in the 26-man squad as Watkins and Greenwood miss out.
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