Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has become the latest player to pull out of Roy Hodgson’s England squad. The Football Association’s website has confirmed that the frontman has returned to his club due to an injury.
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The 25-year-old picked up a knock during his side’s 2-1 Premier League defeat against Manchester United – a match in which Sturridge scored the consolation goal for Brendan Rodgers’s side – and after being assessed by the medical staff at St. George’s Park, it was decided that the striker would not feature against Lithuania and Italy later in the week.
His Reds teammate Adam Lallana was also forced to pull out of the squad today, after a challenge from his national team colleague Phil Jones. Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason was handed his first call-up in his place.
The former Chelsea man’s absence may be good news for Harry Kane, who was rumoured to be set to feature as a substitute in the European Qualifier at Wembley against the Lithuanians, but may now start as, with no replacement yet called up, Hodgson currently has just the Spurs forward, Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck, and captain Wayne Rooney to choose from.