KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTS: Defenders Ben Godfrey from Everton and Ben White from Brighton plus Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale are the only three uncapped players included in Gareth Southgate’s provisional squad for the Euro 2020 finals which start next month.
Southgate decided on Monday to delay until next Tuesday – June 1 – the naming of his precise 26-man squad because of injury uncertainties concerning the likes of midfielders Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) and Kalvin Phillips (Leeds).
Henderson, an important member of England’s squad since the 2018 World Cup, has not played since February because of an adductor injury. He was an unused substitute for Liverpool’s last game of the Premier League against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Phillips damaged a shoulder at the weekend, raising concerns that this was recurrence of the dislocation which sidelined him late last year.
Manchester United teenager Mason Greenwood has been recalled for the first time since being sent home after his debut in Iceland. Liverpool rightback Trent Alexander-Arnold returns to the group after being omitted for the World Cup qualifiers in March.
Southgate, asked about the ‘long list’ switch, said: “I think our situation is more complicated than any other country at the moment. We have known for a while that we have of this 33, 12 players still to play in European finals this week so we were always going to need some additional players for the first part of the [training] camp.
“Add to that a number of injuries – so we felt that more time is going to help us make better decisions.
“Our preference was to name the 26, but we have not got an ideal hand of cards – a lot of unknowns. Information and evidence are very important and we will have a lot more in the next seven days.”