Jack Grealish and Trent Alexander-Arnold ruled out of upcoming England fixtures

By Sports Desk September 04, 2023

Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold have been ruled out of England’s upcoming fixtures against Ukraine and Scotland.

The Football Association confirmed both players had reported to England’s St George’s Park base on Monday.

However, the pair were then withdrawn from the squad following checks on injuries sustained prior to arriving at camp.

No further call-ups are expected, with Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier scheduled to arrive on Wednesday owing to a personal commitment.

England face Ukraine in Wroclaw on Saturday before taking on Scotland in Glasgow in a friendly on September 12.

Related items

  • Atalanta 2-3 Fiorentina: Scalvini injured as La Dea miss chance to finish third Atalanta 2-3 Fiorentina: Scalvini injured as La Dea miss chance to finish third

    Italy defender Giorgio Scalvini was forced off injured as Atalanta failed to secure a third-place finish in Serie A on Sunday, being substituted late on in a 3-2 loss to Fiorentina.

    The Europa League winners faced the Europa Conference League runners-up in Bergamo one week after the rest of the league played their final games of 2023-24, with the teams unable to meet before now due to their European commitments. 

    A victory would have taken Gian Piero Gasperini's team – who were guaranteed a top-four finish – above Juventus into third, but Andrea Belotti put them behind within six minutes.

    Ademola Lookman raced clear to equalise with a dinked finish within six further minutes, but Nicolas Gonzalez's fine volley soon re-established the Viola's lead.

    Scalvini drilled in a terrific shot to pull Atalanta level again shortly after the hour mark, but his game would later end in tears as he was helped from the field with an apparent knee issue – a major concern for Italy less than two weeks out from their Euro 2024 opener.

    Belotti had put Fiorentina back in the lead following a goalmouth scramble on the stroke of half-time, and Atalanta were unable to force a leveller in the second period as their fine season ended on a flat note.

    Data Debrief: Thrilling end to Serie A season

    Sunday's game – the final Serie A contest of 2023-24 – saw more first-half goals scored than any other match in the competition this term. Belotti got two of the five, and he now has seven goal involvements (six goals, one assist) in his last six league games against Atalanta.

    The result is just a minor inconvenience for La Dea, though. They have finished in Serie A's top four for just the fifth time in their history, previously doing so in 2016-17 (fourth), 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 (all third). 

  • Courtois not getting late Euro 2024 call-up, Belgium's technical director reveals Courtois not getting late Euro 2024 call-up, Belgium's technical director reveals

    Thibaut Courtois will not be receiving a late call-up for Euro 2024, but it is down to the Belgian FA to address any off-field issues with the goalkeeper, technical director Franck Vercauteren has revealed.

    The Real Madrid stopper was omitted from the Red Devils' 25-man squad for the forthcoming European Championship, despite returning from an anterior cruciate ligament injury and helping Los Blancos to a 15th Champions League title.

    Courtois, who kept a clean sheet as Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley, became embroiled in a public spat with Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco last June, walking out on the squad when he was not named captain in the wake of Eden Hazard's retirement.

    Koen Casteels, Thomas Kaminski and Matz Sels were named as Tedesco's three goalkeepers for the tournament in Germany, where the Red Devils will play in Group E alongside Romania, Ukraine and Slovakia.

    And technical director Vercauteren confirmed there would be no U-turn on Courtois' omission, but admitted he may still have a future with the national team.

    "Unfortunately, we’ll play the European Championship without him," he said. "So, now we no longer have to focus on that. It is the job of the federation to smooth out the wrinkles. That is absolutely a must.

    "We never doubted his qualities or that he would not be fit. So, we must stop the matter now. Signals have been given that we must respect.

    "At some point, you have to invest to solve it. That is certainly the intention. It's partly my job to make that happen. We know what we have to do."

    Courtois' father Thierry, who was at Wembley to watch his son claim a second Champions League winner's medal, added: "Hopefully, the problem can be sorted out."

  • Chiellini backing Spalletti to deliver 'magical' Italy moments ahead of Euro 2024 Chiellini backing Spalletti to deliver 'magical' Italy moments ahead of Euro 2024

    Giorgio Chiellini believes head coach Luciano Spalletti can deliver "magical Italian nights", ahead of the Azzurri's title defence at Euro 2024.

    Spalletti's Italy will head to Germany as the reigning champions, after beating England on penalties at Wembley in the delayed Euro 2020 final three years ago.

    Chiellini captained the Azzurri to their second European crown - adding to their 1968 triumph - with Roberto Mancini's side also defeating the likes of Belgium and Spain on the way to glory.

    Three years on, the former defender believes the four-time World Cup winners will be "outsiders" at the tournament, where they will play Spain, Croatia and Albania in Group B.

    However, he thinks that may play into Italy's hands should they progress into the latter stages.

    "I'm very happy with Spalletti and for Spalletti," Chiellini told Corriere dello Sport. "I have the utmost respect for him, and I'm convinced that if there is someone who can make us relive the magical Italian nights, it's him.

    "The favourites are others. The pressure is on France, England, Portugal, Germany, Spain, not on us.

    "This group only has to gain from this European Championship. Italy are outsiders. Facing us in knockout matches is never easy."

    A nine-time Scudetto winner with Juventus, Chiellini also had his say on former Bianconeri boss Antonio Conte, who is heavily linked with a return to management at Napoli - 15 months after his last spell in the dugout at Tottenham.

    "I can see him doing well," the 39-year-old said. "I believe he rested and needed it after some personal issues that affected him. I haven't seen him recently, but I felt he was ready. Napoli is a club that gives you a lot, that energises you a lot."

    Inter retained the Scudetto in 2023-24 - finishing a whopping 19 points clear of second-place Milan - and Chiellini believes the Nerazzurri will be the team to beat once more next term.

    Asked if he was surprised by the dominance of Simone Inzaghi's side, he replied: "No way. I already said it last July, then also in December.

    "They told me I was being superstitious, that I didn’t want to mention Juventus, but for me, the difference was obvious, and so it was. The only doubt is the new ownership, but from what I read, it seems to me that everything is under control.

    "If they maintain the structure, with controlled management and targeted investments, Inter are too far ahead of the others. If all the players remain, as it seems, Inzaghi’s team will start as favourites next year, too."

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.