2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (John Cross, Felix Keith)
Lee Carsley is facing massive injury problems for England’s Nations League campaign with a raft of players set to pull out. Arsenal pair Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka both asked to be substituted after suffering injuries in the London derby at Chelsea . Rice was replaced by Mikel Merino in the 71st minute of their 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge before Saka limped off nine minutes later .
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said: “It doesn’t look good, because for two players of that importance to tell you they cannot continue in the game, obviously it’s not good news. I don’t know whether to expect them to be fit (for England) because if not they don’t come off.” Chelsea forward Cole Palmer could also miss out because he was left limping at the end of the Arsenal clash, having only just been declared fit.
Palmer made it to the end of the match against Arsenal, but was uncharacteristically quiet and is a doubt for Thursday’s trip to Athens to play Greece and Sunday’s game against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley. Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has a knee injury and may also be a doubt while Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke got a knock ahead of the squad reporting up at St George’s Park on Monday. Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is also set to miss the England games while Jack Grealish did not make the Manchester City squad and therefore is unlikely to be available.
Alexander-Arnold was withdrawn from Liverpool’s win over Aston Villa on Saturday night and Arne Slot suggested he would miss England duty. He said: “It is difficult to say how serious it is but it is always serious if a player goes out in the first half. Not because I didn’t like him but he asked for it himself, he asked for it because he felt something.
“So that is first of all not a good sign. It is always difficult so close after the game to tell you exactly what it is but let’s wait and see. I would be surprised if we will see him playing for the England national team this week but hopefully he can.
” Grealish has already been the subject of a back and forth between Carsley and Pep Guardiola . The Man City winger was included in Carsley’s squad despite being out injured for the past three weeks. Asked if the call-up meant Grealish was fit, Guardiola responded bluntly: “No.
It's a question for the England manager. I'm not involved. They can select who they want.
But no, he's not fit. It's [Carsley's] decision. In 17 days he didn't train once.
Today (Thursday) was his first training and he trained for 20 minutes. This is the reality. “It's always has been like that.
National teams always play in this period and I'm always pleased for players to go. When they are fit, and they haven't struggled for the last one, two, three, four weeks. They love to play with their national teams.
When they are fit and don't struggle in the last month. I have the opinion they have to recover.” England interim boss Carsley has already admitted he has some replacements on standby and is likely to be forced into call-ups on Monday.
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