Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Tyrone Mings: England in discussions with Everton, Aston Villa over injuries
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been playing with a broken big toe and sustained a minor thigh strain in Everton's win over Brighton; Tyrone Mings missed Villa's 1-1 draw with Brentford on Saturday because of a cracked rib
Sunday 29 August 2021 16:04, UK
England officials are in discussions with Everton and Aston Villa to assess whether injury problems for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Tyrone Mings will rule them out of this week’s World Cup qualifiers.
Calvert-Lewin has played - and scored - in each of Everton's opening three Premier League games, but it has emerged he has been playing with a broken big toe, and so a decision has to be made about whether it needs rest during the international break.
The striker is also being assessed for a minor thigh strain he sustained in the win at Brighton on Saturday.
Were Calvert-Lewin to pull out, it would leave Gareth Southgate with a significant gap in his attacking options. Harry Kane is still returning to full fitness, and had only played 20 minutes of Premier League football so far this season ahead of Tottenham's clash with Watford on Sunday afternoon.
That leaves Patrick Bamford as Southgate's only other option as a specialist number nine - the Leeds striker has won his first call-up to a senior England squad, and is due to join up at St George's Park on Monday morning.
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Mings missed Villa's 1-1 draw with Brentford on Saturday because of a cracked rib and is being assessed to see whether he can join up with his country. He had trained all week but Villa boss Dean Smith decided against risking him.
Sky Sports News has been told it is unlikely that Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood will be called up to the senior squad this time, even if Southgate decides he needs more attacking options.
A surprise omission when the squad was originally announced on Thursday, the 19-year-old will not be used by the U21s or at any level by England during this international break.
Southgate has revealed he has intervened to make sure Greenwood's progress on the international stage is closely monitored.
"Normally I don't get involved in the U21s but I think at this moment in time he's beyond that," Southgate said. "I want to take a little bit more control of his development internationally."
Jamaica are interested in the teenager potentially switching to play for them, but England's boss says there is no doubt where Greenwood's allegiances lie.
"The dual nationality is a bit of a red herring. He 100 per cent wants to play for England and there is no suggestion there is anything else," Southgate said.
