Watkins gets first England call-up as Lingard, Shaw and Stones return
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Gareth Southgate has rewarded Ollie Watkins for his excellent debut season in the Premier League by giving him a first England call-up. The 25-year-old Aston Villa striker has scored 10 times in the competition, plus two more in the Carabao Cup, and he takes his place in a 26-man squad for the World Cup qualifiers against San Marino, Albania and Poland.
The major surprise in Southgate’s announcement was the absence of the Leeds striker Patrick Bamford, who had been expected to get the nod ahead of Watkins and in the face of injuries to centre-forwards. Harry Winks, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Michael Keane have been left out and Trent Alexander-Arnold does not feature in the squad.
As expected, Southgate has selected the in-form defenders Luke Shaw and John Stones, of Manchester United and Manchester City respectively, and also recalled Jesse Lingard, who is on loan at West Ham from Manchester United.
Southgate has also included the 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder, Jude Bellingham, even though his club are reluctant to release him because of the need for returnees to Germany from the UK to isolate for 14 days. The situation is fluid and the hope at the Football Association is that it could yet change, although Southgate has said he does not expect him to come.
The West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone has been selected for the first time in the absence of the injured Jordan Pickford.
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