[ad_1]
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to start against Wales in his England debut on Thursday.
The Everton forward has been called up for the first time in the senior team after scoring nine goals this season.
Gareth Southgate’s team has been hit by a string of absences from what was originally a 30-man squad ahead of their first game at Wembley since the coronavirus pandemic broke out in March.
Tammy Abraham, Ben Chilwell and Jadon Sancho are ruled out after attending Abraham’s surprise birthday party on Sunday, the day before the trio teamed up with their teammates at St George’s Park.
4:53
Raheem Sterling has also retired due to injury.
Calvert-Lewin, 23, said earlier this week that he was looking forward to working with his teammate, England striker Harry Kane, after receiving his first call-up.
Kane has recorded eight goals and seven assists in eight games for Spurs this season.
“I’m always learning and he has scored goals over a long period of time,” Calvert-Lewin said of Kane. “He broke into the Premier League and started racing at the same age as me.
“He has a lot of things in his game that I can learn from and I can add that to my game. He is where he is for a reason. He has worked very hard, has great skill and scores goals.”
“For me, as a player who joins the team, it is good to get up close and see how he performs on a daily basis.”
How the Calvert-Lewin form exploded
With nine goals in six games, Calvert-Lewin is the hottest striker in the country. Everton have long been aware of his talent, but even they couldn’t expect it. Was it predictable? Analyzing his evolution until he became a top center forward …
Adam Bate analyzes the Calvert-Lewin progression here
Calvert-Lewin shooting locations under Carlo Ancelotti show he has many more shots from close range
Who deserves to be number one in England?
Should Jordan Pickford remain England’s regular number one or is it time Gareth Southgate turned to Nick Pope or Dean Henderson?
Pickford’s position for the national team returned to the limelight following a mistake against Brighton, with the Everton man making four mistakes that led to Premier League goals in 2020, more than any other goalkeeper.
Southgate has since confirmed that Burnley’s Pope will start against Wales in Thursday’s friendly, but who should be the full-time man between the sticks? That question was debated in the last Pitch to Post Podcast how Sky Sports News’ England reporter Rob Dorsett and skysports.com s Oli Yew joined Kate Burlaga for a special international preview, and we also ask for her verdict …
2:29
Nev and Carra: the case of the defense of England
After the ineffective deployment of his favorite 3-4-3 formation in Denmark, England coach Gareth Southgate has another chance to experiment with the formations as preparations for next summer’s European Championships resume.
Establishing a defensive system that utilizes the wealth of talent at Southgate’s disposal, while providing the platform for England’s attack to flourish, is now as crucial an objective as any after the September stalemate in Copenhagen.
So does it take time to adjust? Should England play with a left-handed central defender? Play to your strengths with a four-man defense?
Nev and Carra analyze here the defensive options of England
[ad_2]
