England squad

England have called up Brentford striker Ivan Toney for the first time and recalled Tottenham's Eric Dier for the upcoming Nations League matches against ...

Toney will compete with the skipper and Roma’s Tammy Abraham for minutes. There is immense competition in attack, with the likes of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling all vying for spots in the team. There had been a clamour for him to return after his goals against Liverpool and Arsenal in recent weeks, but there are doubts over his fitness.

In the final camp before this winter's World Cup in Qatar, the Brentford striker has been given an opportunity to impress manager Gareth Southgate after scoring ...

[Terms of use,](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/user-policies-a6184151.html) [Cookie policy](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html) and [Privacy notice.](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html) Southgate’s side are hoping to avoid relegation from Nations League A after failing to win any of their opening four games. [Privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en) and [Terms of service](https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en) apply. [Mark Critchley](/author/mark-critchley) Comments [Ivan Toney](/topic/ivan-toney) has been handed his first [England](/topic/england-football-team) call-up ahead of September’s [Nations League](/topic/nations-league) meetings with Italy and Germany.

Five Manchester City players have been named in the England squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League games against Italy and Germany.

[Foden](https://www.mancity.com/players/phil-foden) (Manchester City), [Jack Grealish](https://www.mancity.com/players/jack-grealish) (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Ivan Toney (Brentford) [Stones](https://www.mancity.com/players/john-stones) (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), [Kyle Walker](https://www.mancity.com/players/kyle-walker) (Manchester City) [Kalvin Phillips](https://www.mancity.com/players/kalvin-phillips) (Manchester City), Declan Rice (West Ham), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) England are currently bottom of Group A3 with two points from four games to date. [Kyle Walker](https://www.mancity.com/players/kyle-walker), Phil [Foden](https://www.mancity.com/players/phil-foden), [Jack Grealish](https://www.mancity.com/players/jack-grealish), John [Stones](https://www.mancity.com/players/john-stones) and [Kalvin Phillips](https://www.mancity.com/players/kalvin-phillips) are all included in the 28-man group selected by manager Gareth Southgate. Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Everton on loan), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John

Ivan Toney has been rewarded with his first England call-up. Brentford striker Toney, 26, has hit five goals in six Premier League games this season and now ...

He fits in with the culture and has great international experience and leadership qualities. It is not a perfect situation but there is still a lot of football to be played before Qatar. He is a player we know well so if he can perform at a high level in the next few weeks, he of course will be under consideration. “Clearly, we have a number of players including Ben Chilwell, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips who are not playing a lot of minutes with their club. Discussing his squad, Southgate said: “We recognise the country is still in a period of mourning and my thoughts remain with the Royal Family. Join the discussion in the [comments section](#comments-wrapper).

Gareth Southgate has picked his squad for the UEFA Nations League games with Italy and Germany in September including Ivan Toney and Eric Dier.

It is not ideal, but we feel they have been, and can be, important players for us. It is only eight weeks until we will be naming our squad for Qatar so every minute counts.” “With Ivan Toney, we have been tracking him for a long time. He fits in with the culture and has great international experience and leadership qualities. I had a good chat with Thomas Frank about him last season. We think it is a really close call across our centre-backs and he has deserved to be picked back in the group.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney gets his chance as a World Cup 'bolter', while Harry Maguire is fortunate to keep his place, writes Phil McNulty.

The 26-year-old's career has been a slow burner after he did not make an impact at Newcastle United following a move from Northampton Town. The claim may only to be Jordan Pickford's understudy, as Everton's keeper has been in outstanding form. He scored a penalty - Brentford manager Thomas Frank believes he is the best penalty taker in the game and this will be noted before a World Cup - plus a brilliant free-kick and a delicate lob for his third with Leeds United keeper Illan Meslier out of his ground. What he has going for him is credit in the bank with Southgate and crucial major tournament experience, but there must be a high risk in picking someone who was dropped after a dreadful start to the season at club level and does not seem to have any instant chance of regaining his place at Manchester United, barring injury. He can count himself very fortunate. Gareth Southgate's final England squad before he names the players travelling to the World Cup is mixture of trademark loyalty and the chance for Brentford's Ivan Toney to become a late 'bolter' for Qatar.

Southgate names his final squad before the World Cup as England prepare to face Italy and Germany in the Nations League. England's forward Marcus Rashford ...

He is a player we know well so if he can perform at a high level in the next few weeks, he of course will be under consideration.” And it could be considered a touch unfortunate for Jadon Sancho, another who is showing the first shoots of improvement under Ten Hag. Toney deserved his chance — 12 Premier League goals in Brentford’s first season in the top-flight, followed by five so far this campaign at a rate of 0.83 goals per 90 minutes. Mason Mount, included in the midfielders but often played on the wing or behind Kane, has four in 31. Five goals in his last 18 England games a rate to rival any winger. England might need a few more in Qatar. Or, perhaps, for secret weapon Harry Maguire to burst into the penalty box and beat everyone else to the ball. Two more in successive World Cup qualifiers against Albania and San Marino last November. It is not a perfect situation but there is still a lot of football to be played before Qatar.” “Clearly, we have a number of players including Ben Chilwell, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips who are not playing a lot of minutes with their club. An aggressive header from a corner in decidedly nervy circumstances. It is only eight weeks until we will be naming our squad for Qatar so every minute counts.”

Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho have both missed out on a place in England's latest squad, while Brentford striker Ivan Toney has earned a first call-up.

He fits in with the culture and has great international experience and leadership qualities. “It is not ideal, but we feel they have been, and can be, important players for us. There is likely to be stiff competition for the No.1 shirt, with Dean Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope all performing well at their respective clubs. We think it is a really close call across our centre-backs and he has deserved to be picked back in the group. Both matches kick off at 7.45pm. “This is a bigger than normal squad and part of the rationale is that we are very close to a World Cup and we feel, although our results were disappointing in the summer, we have picked on the basis of form and capability over a long period,” Southgate explained as he prepares his team for upcoming Nations League games against Italy and Germany.

Gareth Southgate has moved to include Ivan Toney - who has scored 13 Premier League goals since January - with Marcus Rashford injured; Eric Dier back in ...

Meanwhile, the form of Fikayo Tomori and Marc Guehi can't be ignored, especially if Maguire is deemed too rusty to be relied upon at international level. He has been Brentford's first-choice spot-kick taker ever since joining the club and he has scored every single one of the 18 he has taken. Having such a consistent team selection in a side that base their game around being solid down the centre of the pitch was a huge help for Southgate in the big moments of that tournament. "So, what does Southgate do in these two pivotal games before departing for the World Cup? He said: "We recognise the country is still in a period of mourning and my thoughts remain with the Royal Family. He fits in with the culture and has great international experience and leadership qualities. "It is a more than justified inclusion for 26-year-old striker Toney, who was playing in League One just four seasons ago. He is a player we know well so if he can perform at a high level in the next few weeks, he of course will be under consideration. There is a certain selflessness to his game. It is not a perfect situation but there is still a lot of football to be played before Qatar. "It has been 83 long years since a Brentford player last won a senior England cap. "Clearly, we have a number of players including Ben Chilwell, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips who are not playing a lot of minutes with their club.

Luke is one of three Reds to be named in Gareth Southgate's Three Lions squad for September's Nations League matches.

Forwards: Tammy Abraham (AS Roma), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Ivan Toney (Brentford). Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Everton, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (United), Luke Shaw (United), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City). Tyrell Malacia was recently named on the Netherlands’ provisional list for their Nations League fixtures.

The Three Lions are in Nations League action later this month.

[Liverpool](https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/) trainee has been a regular in Southgate’s squad since his first call-up in August 2020, earning 10 caps to date. The Three Lions are bottom of their group having taken just two points from their opening four matches. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is not included as he continues his recovery from a thigh injury that is likely to keep him out until the start of next month.