Saints pair called up by Hodgson for Chile and Germany tests
LONDON: England manager Roy Hodgson sprang two surprises by naming uncapped Southampton duo Jay Rodriguez and Adam Lallana in his squad for the friendlies against Chile and Germany.
Rodriguez has scored four times for Saints this term while his 25-year-old team-mate Lallana has been in good form for the South Coast club, who are flying high in the Barclays Premier League.
There is also a recall for Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson.
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has been included despite fears over his ankle injury while fellow Gunner Kieran Gibbs also gets a recall.
As expected, Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster is included in the squad and he will challenge Joe Hart for the number one spot. John Ruddy is England’s third goalkeeper in a 28-man squad named by Hodgson.
Captain Steven Gerrard is named in the squad even though he has been out of action recently with a hip problem.
There had been speculation that Ravel Morrison, Luke Shaw, Saido Berahino, Wilfried Zaha or James Ward-Prowse would be included in the main squad, but they have been named in the Under-21 side to face Finland and San Marino.
The senior side will play Chile a week on Friday before hosting old enemy Germany at Wembley four days later.
Hodgson intends to rotate his line-up for the double-header in order to give his young guns a chance to force their way into his World Cup squad.
Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, 19, is expected to feature in the fixtures.
Andros Townsend, who made two stunning performances for England last month, keeps his place in the squad and is also expected to feature in the upcoming games.
The squads
England squad: Forster (Celtic), Hart (Manchester City), Ruddy (Norwich); Baines (Everton), Cahill, Cole (both Chelsea), Gibbs (Arsenal), Jagielka (Everton), G Johnson (Liverpool), Jones, Smalling (both Manchester United), Walker (Tottenham); Barkley (Everton), Carrick, Cleverley (both Manchester United), Gerrard, Henderson (both Liverpool), Lallana (Southampton), Lampard (Chelsea), Milner (Manchester City), Townsend (Tottenham), Wilshere (Arsenal); Defoe (Tottenham), Lambert, Rodriguez (Southampton), Rooney (Manchester United), Sturridge (Liverpool), Welbeck (Manchester United).
England Under-21 squad: Bond (Watford), Butland (Barnsley, on loan from Stoke), Long (Sheffield United); Dier (Sporting Lisbon), Jenkinson (Arsenal), Keane (Manchester United), Moore (Leicester), Robinson (Blackpool, on loan from Liverpool), Shaw (Southampton), Stones (Everton); Chalobah (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Chelsea), Hughes (Derby), Morrison (West Ham), Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Ince (Blackpool), Lingard (Birmingham, on loan from Manchester United), Sterling (Liverpool), Zaha (Manchester United); Berahino (West Brom), Kane (Tottenham), Ings (Burnley), Nick Powell (Wigan, on loan from Manchester United).
##########
