Jesse Lingard and James Ward-Prowse among six names cut from England Euros squad

Jesse Lingard, James Ward-Prowse and Ollie Watkins were among the six names cut from England manager Gareth Southgate’s Euros squad as Trent Alexander-Arnold got the nod.

The Three Lions boss last week made the decision to name a provisional 33-man squad rather than his final 26-strong selection due to players’ injury concerns and continental cup final commitments.

Southgate has now finalised his Euro 2020 selection, trimming six players after Mason Greenwood withdrew through injury on the morning of the announcement.

Lingard, Ward-Prowse and Watkins missed out along with the uncapped trio of Aaron Ramsdale, Ben Godfrey and Ben White.

Lingard’s outstanding start to life on loan from Manchester United at West Ham saw him brought in from the cold in March’s World Cup qualification triple-header.

The 28-year-old played a part in all three of those matches but Southgate indicated in the build-up that he was there due to the absence of the injured Jack Grealish and Jadon Sancho.

Ward-Prowse misses out (Carl Recine/PA)

Southampton skipper Ward-Prowse played in two of those games and had been due to start the third until withdrawing through injury and has missed the cut, as he did for the 2019 Nations League finals.

Aston Villa striker Watkins scored on his debut against San Marino but was behind Harry Kane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the pecking order.

Alexander-Arnold was selected as one of four right-backs, joining Kieran Trippier, Reece James and Kyle Walker in the 26-man squad.

Southgate said on England’s YouTube channel: “I think every squad is difficult because we have a lot of talented players in this country.

“The most difficult thing is to not be able to take players who’ve been with us in previous matches and who are such good professionals.

“So, I know what a disappointment that is for them at the moment not to be going to a major championship.

“But we still have two friendlies to get to, and there’s been plenty of examples over the years where there have been injuries in those friendlies that have ruled people out.

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“So there’s still time for those guys even though they’re not in at this moment in time.”

Southgate also has fitness concerns over two key players named in the squad.

Jordan Henderson has not played since February (Laurence Griffiths/PA)

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has not played since undergoing groin surgery in February and Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire sustained an ankle ligament injury last month.

“The most complex part this time has been those injuries and whether we should take the chance on people,” Southgate said.

“We’ve clearly, with Jordan and with Harry Maguire, we’ve got a couple of players who are not where we’d be ideally in terms of their physical prep.

“But we think that the experience they have, the fact that we think we can get them to a point where they can have an involvement in the tournament, it’s worth taking them, especially as we’ve got an extended squad of 26.”