ANOTHER Player Has Dropped Out Of Gareth Southgate's England Squad

Southgate is preparing his side to face Germany and Brazil in back-to-back showpiece friendlies at Wembley.

"I am really looking forward to it", he said of the Wembley clash, which will take place without regular Germany starters Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng and Jonas Hector. "Harry Kane doesn't stay down", Southgate said on Thursday. Both him and Harry Winks were scanned, both scans our medical department have reviewed. "I'm hearing this talk of club v country and it's a nonsense".

"Spurs might risk them for the game against Arsenal but that is a different matter".

Asked if he was satisfied that all players who had pulled out were genuinely injured, Southgate replied: "Yeah, absolutely".

"With some of the players it's 100 per cent clear, there's a scan". "If we don't try things in these games, when are we going to try things?"

Tammy Abraham, Joe Gomez and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have all earned their first senior call-ups to cover the fitness crisis while Michael Keane and Jake Livermore have also been drafted into the squad, but who will be trusted with a spot in the starting XI?

Southgate had overlooked Drinkwater when he named his original group for the game, but after being hit by a series of injuries he contacted the former Leicester star. "If it were just about treating the match like a battle, anyone could play in Serie A and the national team".

The 44-year-old told BBC Radio 5 live: "I spoke to Danny earlier in the week but he feels he is not fit enough to play". He has played at every level for England previously.

"I think Jonjo is a different type of player - plays deeper, receives very deep, plays nearly in a quarterback position for his club".

"I knew already we had a potential problem".

Jack Butland looks likely to get the nod in goal but defender Gary Cahill is a doubt after missing training on the eve of the first friendly with a back issue.

  • Angelo Rivera