London (AFP) – Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is injured and will play no part in England’s World Cup qualifier with Lithuania on Sunday, the Football Association said on Friday.
In his place Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson got his first senior England call-up for the match at Wembley.
Smalling’s exit however compounds England manager Gareth Southgate’s defensive worries, with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill, the captain in Wednesday’s 1-0 friendly international defeat by Germany in Dortmund, suspended.
Phil Jones had already pulled out on the eve of the friendly with a toe injury he suffered in a training ground challenge with United team-mate Smalling.
Southgate knows the 24-year-old Gibson well, having repeatedly selected him when manager of the England Under-21 side.
England trained in Hertfordshire, northwest of London, on Friday and Gibson will join the squad in time for Saturday’s session at capital club Tottenham Hotspur’s training ground, where Southgate will hold a pre-match media conference.
200+ Channels With Sports & News
- Starting price: $33/mo. for fubo Latino Package
- Watch Premier League, Women’s World Cup, Euro 2024 & Gold Cup
The New Home of MLS
- Price: $14.99/mo. for MLS Season Pass
- Watch every MLS game including playoffs & Leagues Cup
Many Sports & ESPN Originals
- Price: $10.99/mo. (or get ESPN+, Hulu & Disney+ for $14.99/mo.)
- Features Bundesliga, LaLiga, Championship, & FA Cup
2,000+ soccer games per year
- Price: $5.99/mo
- Features Champions League, Serie A, Europa League & Brasileirāo
175 Premier League Games & PL TV
- Starting price: $5.99/mo. for Peacock Premium
- Watch 175 exclusive EPL games per season