England Squad For Four Nations League Games Announced

Gareth Southgate has called up Fikayo Tomori and Jarrod Bowen as England's preparation for the World Cup continues this summer in the Nations League.

Confirming your #ThreeLions squad for our upcoming #NationsLeague fixtures! 🦁

— England (@England) May 24, 2022

England are set to face Hungary, Germany, Italy and Hungary for a second time in the next three weeks, in what is arguably the hardest group in League A.

It is the penultimate time that the squad will meet up before this winter's World Cup in Qatar, and the games could decide how Southgate sculpts the squad to the Middle East.

Bowen's call up felt inevitable, as he has impressed all season for a West Ham side who reached the semi finals of the Europa League and finished seventh in the Premier League.

He was expected to be called up back in March but picked up an injury just before the squad was announced and was first to miss out.

The 25-year-old forward, whose form saw him linked with Liverpool earlier this season, never earned a cap for the age group national teams, so this is his first opportunity to earn a cap of any sort.

Tomori has been impressing for AC Milan for the past 18 months, since initially moving to Italy on loan from Chelsea, where he wasn't getting enough first team football.

The centre back has been in brilliant form for the Rossoneri and helped them win their first Serie A title in 11 years, when they defeated Sassuolo on Sunday.

There was a backlash when he wasn't called up in March, especially with out of form Harry Maguire, as well as Tyrone Mings, who has been left out this time, and Conor Coady called up.

Marc Guehi was the surprise call up to Southgate's squad last time, after impressing for Crystal Palace just months after moving from Chelsea.

Leicester City's James Justin is a surprise call up for the four games, with Ben Chilwell and Luke Shaw out injured, and Keiran Trippier also returns.

Kalvin Phillips is back in the squad, after returning from injury for Leeds United towards the end of the season, and Conor Gallagher keeps his place, whilst Jordan Henderson misses out, having played 56 games for Liverpool this season.

In attack, Tammy Abraham is back in, after his record breaking season for Roma, whilst Bukayo Saka is still in despite Arsenal preferring he missed out.

The Euro 2020 finalists first face Hungary away, on June 4th, in a game that will be played behind closed doors, due to crowd trouble at the Puskas Arena during last summer's tournament.

After playing Germany away, in the second of four fixtures in 10 days, Southgate's men will welcome Italy to Wolves' Molineux Stadium.

That game will also be behind closed doors, thanks, ironically, to the crowd trouble at Wembley for the Euro final against the same opponents.

They then face Hungary again, at the same ground, though this time fans will be allowed in side, before the players can finally enjoy their summer break.