Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have both withdrawn from the England squad ahead of the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Greece and the Republic of Ireland. Both players were forced off the pitch during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday, November 10, 2024.
Declan Rice: Rice was playing with a broken toe and had to be substituted during the match. Despite his efforts, the injury proved too much, and he was unable to continue.
Bukayo Saka: Saka suffered a blow to his leg and was visibly in discomfort as he limped off the field. He was replaced by Gabriel Jesus in the 70th minute.
Interim manager Lee Carsley has seen a host of key players withdraw from the squad, including Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, and Aaron Ramsdale. This has opened the door for several new faces, with Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers receiving his first senior call-up, along with Jarrod Bowen, Jarrad Branthwaite, Tino Livramento, and James Trafford.
England will travel to Athens to face Greece on Thursday before hosting the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Sunday. Despite the setbacks, Carsley remains optimistic about the squad’s chances and is looking forward to the challenge.
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