Thomas Tuchel’s initial decision to overlook Morgan Gibbs-White from his England squad proved to be controversial.
The Nottingham Forest midfielder has been in brilliant form for his club this season, helping them to third in the Premier League with five goals and seven assists, all but one of them coming since December.
Gibbs-White got a reprieve following an injury-enforced withdrawal by Cole Palmer, who is ranked at no.18 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best players in the world right now – but Gibbs-White looks set to miss out on Tuchel’s matchday squad regardless.
Morgan Gibbs-White, Aaron Ramsdale and Jarell Quansah set to miss England matchday squad
Although international squads for the ongoing World Cup qualifiers can contain up to 26 players, managers may only name 23 of them in any given matchday squad.
The Mirror report that Gibbs-White is going to be part of the unlucky England trio to miss out against Albania on Friday, alongside Southampton keeper Aaron Ramsdale and Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah.
Gibbs-White made two appearances for England under interim gaffer Lee Carsley last autumn, playing from the bench in victories the Republic of Ireland and Greece.
Quansah is one of four uncapped players in Tuchel’s first squad alongside Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, Newcastle centre-back Dan Burn, and Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Tuchel has meanwhile given recalls to 34-year-old Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson and Aston Villa loanee Marcus Rashford.
England will kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign against Albania on Friday evening before taking on Latvia on Monday. Both games will be played at Wembley.
Thomas Tuchel’s expected England matchday squad vs Albania
- Jordan Pickford (Everton)
- Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
- James Trafford (Burnley)
- Kyle Walker (AC Milan)
- Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)
- Reece James (Chelsea)
- Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)
- Levi Colwill (Chelsea)
- Tino Livramento (Newcastle United)
- Dan Burn (Newcastle United)
- Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
- Jordan Henderson (Ajax)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal)
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
- Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
- Curtis Jones (Liverpool)
- Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
- Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa)
- Phil Foden (Manchester City)
- Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United)
- Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United)
- Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)
