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Saturday, 3 October 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Liverpool's Danny Ings
Tottenham's Dele Alli
Tottenham Hotspur’s teenage midfielder Dele Alli was called into England’s squad for the first time on Thursday for this month’s final two Euro 2016 qualifiers against Estonia and Lithuania.
The 19-year-old, who has represented England at every level from Under-17s upwards, joined Spurs from Milton Keynes Dons for five million pounds ($ 7.57 million) earlier this year and is one of two new faces in the squad.
Liverpool striker Danny Ings, 23, who is also uncapped at senior level, was also included for the first time but club mate Daniel Sturridge missed out after only just returning from long-term injury.
Southampton defender Ryan Bertrand is recalled in place of Luke Shaw who broke his leg in two places playing for Manchester United at PSV Eindhoven last month.
“Danny (Ings) was someone we followed very closely at Burnley last year but we did not have the chance to bring him in because he was an important member of the Under-21s,” said manager Roy Hodgson.
“But now he is a senior and it was a good opportunity to bring him in. Dele Alli is the more off-beat one I suppose because he is so young and only just broken into the Tottenham team but we have been very impressed by what we have seen of him.”
England have already qualified for the finals in France next year following eight straight Group E wins and Hodgson said he was taking both games seriously because he wanted to finish with a perfect record of 10 victories.
“I think the game in Lithuania will be the one where if any experimentation or changes take place it will be there, which might damage our chances of getting the perfect 10 but I am prepared to accept that,” he added.
England play Estonia at Wembley on 9 October and visit Lithuania three days later.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Tom Heaton (Burnley)
Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Nathaniel Clyne (liverpool), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), John Stones (Everton)
Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Adam Lallana (Liverpool), James Milner (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jonjo Shelvey (Swansea City)
Forwards: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Danny Ings (liverpool), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).
