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England: Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire ruled out of friendly against Belgium

Last updated on .From the section EnglandBBC Russian658

Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker was England's captain against Brazil, with Harry Maguire taking the armband when he went off injured

England defenders Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire, and back-up goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, have been ruled out of Tuesday's friendly with Belgium.

Burnley keeper James Trafford and Manchester City defender Rico Lewis, who were with the England Under-21s, have been promoted to the senior squad.

Trafford, 21, helped England win the Euro Under-21 last summer and this is his first senior call-up.

Lewis, 19, made his Three Lions debut in November against North Macedonia.

His City team-mate Walker was injured in the first half of Saturday's 1-0 friendly defeat by Brazil at Wembley.

Manchester United's Maguire, who replaced Walker as captain when he was substituted, came off in the 67th minute.

Maguire, Walker and Crystal Palace's Johnstone, who did not feature on Saturday, have returned to their clubs.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane and Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka have already been ruled out.

The injury to Kane, undoubtedly England's first-choice striker, gives a chance to Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney to impress.

Aston Villa's Watkins played against Brazil, with Brentford forward Toney set to feature in the Belgium game.

"It would be his first start, so you've got to bear that in mind as well," said Southgate about Toney.

"With England that's the landscape, you don't get hundreds of opportunities. I think every player recognises that's the world we live in.

"But he's a confident guy, he comes in on the back of a good run of form with his club. He's going to be on the field on Tuesday, no question.

"That swagger, that self-belief is crucial - all of the top forward players have it. I think sometimes the quality of his football can be underestimated.

"His passing, his link play. We're still getting to know all of those strengths because until you work with a player more regularly you don't know them inside out."

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658 comments

  • Comment posted by Ramalamadingdong, at 09:36 25 Mar

    England will never win anything with Maguire in the centre of defence. He's slow and makes far to many basic mistakes.

    • Reply posted by Lord Pep, at 09:38 25 Mar

      Lord Pep replied:
      He somehow never looks confident. That's something which gets transmitted to those around him

  • Comment posted by GC, at 09:47 25 Mar

    Southgate gained great capital when he came in with picking on form and getting fans behind the team, got a WC semi and Euro final. He has thrown it away with favoritism and negative tactics and has lost the fans. He has to go.

    • Reply posted by bardez , at 10:25 25 Mar

      bardez replied:
      Look at it differently, and he didn't really get to the semi and finals, the generational group did, and he hitched a ride. What southgate did, was bottle tactics and fail to inspire them when it really mattered against real opposition. Bringing cold players on to take penalties, playing 7 defenders,that's all him. He never reached the top as coach or player. Any top club coach would have won.

  • Comment posted by Toxic Rabbit, at 09:55 25 Mar

    Someone will come in to take Maguire's place and probably have a decent game and finish the season with their club in good form. However, It doesn't matter because when it comes to it, and if he's fit Southgate will always pick Maguire to start even if doesn't play anymore League games for Man Utd for the rest of the season. Here lies the problem with Southgate.

    • Reply posted by David, at 11:33 25 Mar

      David replied:
      We didn’t go out of any of the last 3 tournaments because of Maguire

  • Comment posted by K Pasa, at 09:27 25 Mar

    Maguire shouldn't be anywhere near the squad, let alone starting 11

    • Reply posted by eric, at 10:29 25 Mar

      eric replied:
      He turns like oil tanker and slower than a goat

  • Comment posted by ash , at 09:30 25 Mar

    Southgate saying "Hendo" reminds me of Maclaren saying "Stevie G JT" etc
    What a turnip he's becoming

    • Reply posted by lawman, at 10:21 25 Mar

      lawman replied:
      I’m no more a fan of Southgate as you are and millions of others, but this is the time to get behind the manager. We have a terrible tradition in this country with putting our managers down, it started with the press all them years ago and now it seems to have rubbed off onto the fans. Let’s all just get behind them now. We need good vibes before this tournament, it will help in some capacity.

  • Comment posted by Po the Panda, at 09:37 25 Mar

    It sounds harsh and he is doing better than 99% of us but England need to sack GS asap.
    He just doesn't learn from the past errors where he has proved to be tactically inept, negative and conversative.
    Picking guys like "hendo", maguire and losers like rashford is a big stain on him.
    another 1/4 defeat is looming in the same way as the other loses and everyone can see it except the FA apparently.

    • Reply posted by Garry, at 09:42 25 Mar

      Garry replied:
      It’s not harsh

  • Comment posted by Meagain, at 09:36 25 Mar

    If england started to select their players on merit and form, they could have a very good chance of having a top class side.

    • Reply posted by BlueStig, at 09:41 25 Mar

      BlueStig replied:
      No 'team' will win anything if you keep changing the team every game you play!

  • Comment posted by Invicta48, at 09:34 25 Mar

    The only value friendlies can possibly have is to 'trial' young players. Southgate should play an entirely experimental team composed of those with fewer than 5 chops , or no caps, or under 21s,.
    It's crazy that we are still playing the likes of Maguire, Henderson, even Walker. As for Chilwell ....

    • Reply posted by OD, at 09:39 25 Mar

      OD replied:
      And when that 'experimental' team get dismantled by Belgium, you'll all be calling for his head!

  • Comment posted by as it is, at 09:58 25 Mar

    Should have done the same as Arsenal and pulled players out as "precautions" Walker is 33 has a heavy club schedule coming up yet Southgate cannot do without him for friendly matches. What would he learn about him that he doesn't already know?

    • Reply posted by Yeahbaby, at 10:33 25 Mar

      Yeahbaby replied:
      He has learnt that you can injure a 33 year old by playing him too much.

  • Comment posted by nosher, at 09:44 25 Mar

    Maquire not realy up to international standard

    • Reply posted by Paul, at 11:02 25 Mar

      Paul replied:
      Or club standard, and by that i mean sunday league club standard

  • Comment posted by smiffy and smiffy, at 09:58 25 Mar

    Get rid of Southgate. he picks too many of his favourites instead of the enormous youth talent we have. when I see Rashford, Henderson and McGuire on his team sheets I want to cry.

    • Reply posted by Cayo, at 10:00 25 Mar

      Cayo replied:
      who is McGuire, who does he play for?

  • Comment posted by smokey, at 09:46 25 Mar

    Get a decent defence. Everyone knows that with a decent defence anything is possible. Surely in the Premier League they can find some decent defenders, can't be that difficult can it? England have good midfielders and forwards but Southgate needs to listen to everyone and get rid of Maguire.

    • Reply posted by nick_tt, at 09:54 25 Mar

      nick_tt replied:
      He needs to stop playing 6-3-1 at home to a Brazil B team for a start!

  • Comment posted by NC, at 09:42 25 Mar

    And of course they'll both have made a miraculous recovery in time for the weekend's PL matches

    • Reply posted by And I said, at 11:46 25 Mar

      And I said replied:
      A friendly loss and it’s the end of the world according to most here.

      Well if there is a time to lose, it’s in a friendly anyway.

      But I forget myself it wasn’t about the game, it was just a chance for release of pent up hate on Southgate. Most people have had him in their scope regardless of what he does.

  • Comment posted by bushmaster80, at 10:32 25 Mar

    Henderson, Maguire, Chilwell, Gallagher

    4 players who haven't done anywhere near enough over the past 12 months to be in the England squad - and 3 of them started against Brazil!

    Some of the form players of the Premier League, must wonder what more they can do to be given such opportunities!

    • Reply posted by Murtoughatesmufc, at 10:44 25 Mar

      Murtoughatesmufc replied:
      Well put

  • Comment posted by VC, at 09:28 25 Mar

    Way too many games in the football calendar and it’s only going to get worse next season with the already bloated Champions League adding more games. No wonder the top teams feel they have to have squads of 20+ players to cope with the demands.

    • Reply posted by grafters apprentice , at 10:05 25 Mar

      grafters apprentice replied:
      True but for all their moaning it won’t stop them going on pre season tours of the far east or America rather than staying in this country and playing local sides like they used to do.

  • Comment posted by Selim , at 09:38 25 Mar

    Why is Rashford still in there?
    Maybe Man United couldnt give a monkeys if hes injured or not
    Maybe that goes for Southgate so they can add another nail in his managerial coffin?

    • Reply posted by Lord Pep, at 09:44 25 Mar

      Lord Pep replied:
      Rashford somehow lack the hunger for doing it on the big stage in national colours. He is a gifted talented young player. That's why seeing him producing nothing for years become frustrating

  • Comment posted by scoringiseasy, at 09:54 25 Mar

    why all the negative press about injured players? so a couple are missing, that gives a great oppurtunity for GS to play some fringe players and not hius favorites. We all know what Kane, Walker, Pickfiord etc can do, they dont need the matches to prove anything. What we dont know is how a back up keeper might perform for a couple of games as they dont get the chance.

    • Reply posted by whatwentdown, at 11:13 25 Mar

      whatwentdown replied:
      Wrong. Ramsdale and Pope have both played recently and made mistakes. More mistakes than Pickford in about 60 caps. Johnstone has also played recently. Pope, Johnstone and Ramsdale have EIGHTEEN caps between them. That’s EIGHTEEN
      times Pickford wasn’t picked to see how a backup keeper plays. It’s nice that 13 people upvoted your comment - but it’s nonsense.

  • Comment posted by Exiledyorkie, at 09:58 25 Mar

    We all know why England play 'friendlies' and so the result is unimportant. But they still 'huffed and puffed' against a novice Brazil side who were technically superior despite fielding 5 debutants. Sorry, I lost count of the subs at the end. Meaningless.

    • Reply posted by David, at 11:44 25 Mar

      David replied:
      How many debutants did England play? Remember Players like Kane, Saka and Grealish are all injured

  • Comment posted by johnr, at 09:44 25 Mar

    Friendlies prime purpose in my eyes is 2unearth whether the array of youthful talent available 2England can step up+ impress.In the first rehearsal,no one did. But,Branthwaite has a chance to oust a real drag on Englands chances at the euros.Namely the gaff prone harry Maguire.But,knowing Southgates misplaced loyalty 2him, even if Branthwaite gets man of the match, Maguire's place is set in stone

  • Comment posted by Mr and Mrs Banks, at 09:45 25 Mar

    “Harry Maguire out the England squad”

    Jeremy Clarkson: “Oh no!… Anyway……”

    • Reply posted by Rubylove199, at 10:53 25 Mar

      Rubylove199 replied:
      Are there any people on planet Earth who care what Jeremy Clarkson thinks (apart from himself of course)? I doubt they'd fill a phone box.

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