Elliot Anderson Earns First Senior England Call-Up While Trent Alexander-Arnold Is Omitted

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Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest has been selected for his first senior England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold from Real Madrid has not been included. England, led by Thomas Tuchel, currently tops Group K after winning their initial three qualifiers. They will face Andorra at Villa Park on September 6 and then travel to Serbia three days later.

Anderson joined Nottingham Forest from Newcastle United in a £35 million transfer last July. He became an essential player under Nuno Espirito Santo, helping the team finish seventh in the Premier League. Last season, Anderson played 37 league matches, scoring twice and providing six assists. He ranked fourth among Forest players for creating chances with 37 and was second for successful passes in the opposition half (645) and tackles won (56).

Full-back Djed Spence is another uncapped player called up after his impressive performances for Tottenham at the start of the Premier League season. Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold's absence is notable as he was part of Tuchel's first two squads. After leaving Liverpool for Madrid following his contract expiration, Alexander-Arnold started Madrid's opening LaLiga game but was benched in their recent 3-0 win over Real Oviedo.

Jude Bellingham, also from Madrid, is unavailable for the September internationals due to shoulder surgery. He might miss games against Wales and Latvia in October too. Cole Palmer is sidelined after an injury during Chelsea’s warm-up before their 5-1 victory over West Ham last Friday.

Jack Grealish is another high-profile absentee despite starting well on loan at Everton. However, John Stones, Adam Wharton, and Marcus Rashford have been recalled to the squad. Rashford joined Barcelona on loan from Manchester United in July but missed Euro 2024. He returned to Tuchel's setup in March but was absent from England's latest squad during their 1-0 win over Andorra and a 3-1 friendly loss to Senegal.

The current England squad includes goalkeepers Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), and James Trafford (Manchester City). Defenders are Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), and John Stones (Manchester City).

Midfielders and Forwards Lineup

The midfielders include Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), and Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace). Forwards are Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona) and Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).

This selection marks Thomas Tuchel’s third international window since becoming manager in January. His choices reflect both emerging talents like Anderson and experienced players making comebacks such as Rashford.