Gareth Southgate to Stick with Squad for Euro 2024 Qualifier Against Ukraine

Only 21 Players to Choose From

England manager Gareth Southgate has confirmed that he will not be calling up any new players for the national team’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine on Sunday. This is due to left-back Luke Shaw’s suspension and right-back Reece James’s injury, leaving Southgate with just 21 players to choose from for the upcoming match.

Injury Concerns Over Henderson, Bellingham, and Phillips

There were concerns over the fitness of midfielders Jordan Henderson, Jude Bellingham, and Kalvin Phillips, but Southgate has confirmed that all three players are available for selection, allowing Southgate to select the best possible squad from the players available to him.

Call-Up Outside Squad Would Be Complicated

Southgate explained his decision to stick with his current squad, revealing that calling in a new player at this stage would be “potentially quite complicated.” He added, “If we were going to do that at this point, we would do that with the under-21s.”

England Ready for Ukraine Clash

England’s last meeting with Ukraine was a 4-0 win during the quarter-finals of Euro 2020, and they will be hoping to produce a similar result when they face Ukraine on Sunday. The Three Lions have not played a game at Wembley since reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar last year.

Ukraine Unable to Play Matches in Their Own Country Due to Ongoing Invasion

Ukraine are unable to play their qualifying matches in their own country due to the ongoing conflict with Russia. Southgate acknowledged the pride and commitment of the Ukrainian team despite their challenges, stating that they are fully focused on bringing enjoyment to their public.

Zinchenko to Face Former Team-Mates at Wembley

Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko will be facing his former colleagues from Manchester City, as well as team-mate Bukayo Saka, during the match against England on Sunday. Zinchenko expressed his gratitude for the UK’s support during a challenging year for his country, but made it clear that he is focused on the game.

Grateful for UK’s Support

Zinchenko expressed his appreciation for the support his team and country have received from the UK and its people, calling it “so important” and emphasizing the significance of the support for Ukrainians living in the UK. However, the player knows that friendships must take a back seat during the match, saying, “Unfortunately on the pitch, there are no friends.”

Credit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65004815

ENND