Lee Carsley’s England squad will head to Finland for their Nations League clash without the services of Bukayo Saka and Curtis Jones. Both players have officially withdrawn from the team ahead of the match scheduled for Sunday.
Saka, who plays for Arsenal, suffered a right leg injury during England’s surprising 2-1 loss to Greece at Wembley on Thursday. He was replaced by Noni Madueke in the 51st minute. This injury adds to manager Mikel Arteta’s concerns, especially with Martin Ødegaard also sidelined due to an injury sustained while on international duty with Norway last month.
The England international has had an impressive start to the Premier League season, scoring two goals and providing seven assists in the first seven matches. Saka has created 27 chances, making him the top chance creator in the division. His nine goal involvements are only surpassed by Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (11) and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (10).
In addition to Saka’s absence, Carsley will also be without uncapped Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones. Jones was added to the Three Lions squad earlier this week but has since withdrawn due to a personal commitment. The 23-year-old received his first call-up in May as part of Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024, although he did not make the final selection.
Jones played a crucial role in the Young Lions’ triumph at the 2023 European Under-21 Championship under Carsley, scoring the only goal in their 1-0 victory over Spain in the final. With both Saka and Jones unavailable, Carsley will need to adjust his lineup as England prepares for the challenge ahead in Finland.
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