England squad announcement LIVE: Lee Carsley reveals selection for upcoming Nations League fixtures
Dominic Solanke last made an appearance for England against Brazil in 2017 and returns after scoring three goals in his last three games for Tottenham
Dominic Solanke has been named in Lee Carsley’s latest England squad, seven years after his last call-up, while Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer all return from injury.
Solanke has scored three goals in his last three games for Tottenham Hotspur since joining Spurs from Bournemouth and returns to the international fold for the first time since making an appearance against Brazil in November 2017.
There is no place for James Maddison, Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Marcus Rashford or Harry Maguire, while Morgan Rogers will have to wait for his call-up after making an impressive start to the Premier League season for Aston Villa.
But Noni Madueke, Angel Gomes, Rico Lewis and Morgan Gibbs-White have retained their places, and Kyle Walker also returns to the group having missed the wins over Ireland and Finland last month.
Three Lions face Greece at Wembley on Thursday 10 October and Finland away from home on 13 October. Follow the squad announcement, as well as reaction and analysis, below:
Potter responds to England manager links
Graham Potter said he is “open to anything” as he considers his next step in management amid links with Manchester United and England.
It’s almost 18 months since Potter was sacked by Chelsea after a short spell in charge and the former Brighton boss is considering a return to the game.
“I am the only coach in world football to be linked with Stoke City and Napoli in the same week,” he said.
“A lot of what I’ve read in the media is untrue and false. I take what the media say with a pinch of salt. I’ve had lots of conversations with lots of people. For the respect of everybody, it’s best I keep it private.
“As an Englishman, of course it’s a fantastic job but I’m supportive of whatever the FA decide to do and whoever the coach is. I think Gareth [Southgate] did a fantastic job and I’m sure Lee [Carsley] - for however long it is - will do really well.
“I’m open to anything, to be honest. I’ve had a fantastic journey over the last 12 years from the fourth tier of Swedish football to the last eight of the Champions League and I would like to spend the next 12 years in the same position, developing players, teams, working with people and making a difference.
“Wherever that is, I’m open to everything.”
Graham Potter responds to Manchester United and England manager links
Graham Potter said he is “open to anything” as he considers his next step in management amid links with Manchester United and England.
It’s almost 18 months since Potter was sacked by Chelsea after a short spell in charge and the former Brighton boss is considering a return to the game.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is under pressure after the club’s poor start to the season and Potter has a connection with sporting director Dan Ashworth from when they were colleagues at Brighton.
Appearing on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports, the 49-year-old said that he did not consider United to be an “impossible” task, while describing England as a “fantastic job” for an Englishman.
Graham Potter responds to Manchester United and England manager links
The former Brighton and Chelsea boss has previously worked with United sporting director Dan Ashworth
England’s October fixtures
Lee Carsley’s second international break features matches against Greece and Finland.
Greece, like the Three Lions, are unbeaten in their Nations League campaign and travel to London sitting top of Group B2 having defeated Finland and the Republic of Ireland in their opening two games.
A strong result against England, be that a win or a draw, will see them hold onto that position and move a step closer to automatic promotion.
England, meanwhile, will be hoping to continue their winning run under Carsley and prove that they are continuing to develop during this new era.
Carsley’s career at a glance
So how did Lee Carsley end up as England’s interim manager?
The Birmingham-born coach had a 17-year playing career, and most notably featured in the Premier League for Everton and Derby County, having started his career at the latter.
The defensive midfielder made his debut in 1994 for the Rams in what was then called the First Division (now known as the Championship). He became a regular starter at Pride Park, helping his side to promotion to the Premier League in 1995/96.
The most successful spell of his career came between 2002 and 2008 while playing for Everton, with the Toffees finishing as high as fourth and sixth during his time at Goodison.
At international level, Carsley represented the Republic of Ireland, making 40 appearances between 1997 and 2008.
The 50-year-old retired in 2011, with his last club being Coventry City. Having worked on his coaching badges while at Everton, Carsley was made manager of Coventry U18s later in 2011.
His first involvement with England came as a coach for the U19s in 2015, and he went on to become head coach of the U20s in 2020 after holding various youth-level development roles within the FA.
In July 2021, Carsley was appointed as the U21s head coach, winning the European Championship in 2023 after beating Spain 1-0 in the final with a team that included Cole Palmer, Angel Gomes, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Gibbs-White and Levi Colwill.
England squad announcement LIVE
Lee Carsley’s ‘reign’ began with fixtures against the Republic of Ireland – who he represented as a player – and Finland.
The former U21s manager began in the perfect fashion too, as England demolished his old side with a near-perfect first-half display in Dublin. The second half was less convincing, though the overall performance was enough to suggest that Carsley’s side will be decidedly different to those of Gareth Southgate.
Of course, whether the ex-Everton man has done enough to get the job on a permanent basis remains to be seen, but the follow-up to that game in Dublin was another impressive Three Lions performance as they dispatched Finland 2-0 at home, with Harry Kane making his 100th international cap.
England squad announcement LIVE
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of today’s England squad announcement.
Lee Carsley will announce the second squad of his tenure at around 2pm BST, and fans and the media alike are braced for some surprises from the former U21s coach.
His last squad contained four uncapped players, but with the new season now in full swing, will he recall big names such as Phil Foden and Cole Palmer?
Find out here as we follow all the build-up, news and reaction.
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