Maguire gets England call-up amid trial in Greece
Gareth Southgate has named Harry Maguire in England ‘s Three Lions squad for the Nations League ties against Iceland and Denmark early next month despite the defender’s involvement in court proceedings in Greece.
Maguire has been at the centre of a scandal since last Thursday night after he was arrested and later charged following a violent argument outside a bar in Mykonos, which also involved police officers. He has vigorously denied all charges.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
Harry Maguire is in the England squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League! pic.twitter.com/KX3A7nMxRI
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 25, 2020
Maguire’s trial got under way in Greece on Tuesday morning – he was not required to attend and was represented by his legal team – and Southgate had to reach a difficult decision over whether to include him for the games on 5 and 8 September.
The manager has stood by him in a 24-man squad that also features first call-ups for Manchester City’s Phil Foden, Maguire’s Manchester United teammate Mason Greenwood and the Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
Southgate has called up City’s Raheem Sterling, who attended Usain Bolt’s birthday party in Jamaica last Friday. Bolt has subsequently announced that he is self-isolating after taking a Covid-19 test.
UEFA Nations League squad
First senior @England call-ups for Greenwood, Foden and Phillips
Which player is unlucky to miss out?
Watch Nations League highlights on @ITV #ITVFootball #ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/43qGKY4dyY
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) August 25, 2020
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There are recalls for Kyle Walker, Eric Dier, Michael Keane, James Ward-Prowse and Danny Ings but no place for any specialist left-back, with Danny Rose overlooked and Ben Chilwell and Luke Shaw injured.
A clutch of other players have been overlooked, including John Stones, Fikayo Tomori, Ross Barkley, James Maddison, Jack Grealish, Jesse Lingard, Dele Alli and Callum Hudson-Odoi.