Five Premier League winners in England squad for Malta Euro qualifier

Gareth Southgate names Three Lions squad for June matches

Five Manchester City players will form part of England’s 25-player group that has been picked up by coach Gareth Southgate for June’s international appointments against Malta and North Macedonia.

The Three Lions will launch their June commitments with a trip to Malta on Friday June 16, before hosting North Macedonia three days later, at Old Trafford.

Southgate’s team have won their opening two qualifying games against Italy (2-1) and Ukraine (2-0).

Defenders John Stones and Kyle Walkers, midfielder Kalvin Phillips and forwards Phil Foden and Jack Grealish are the Citizen players named by Southgate, fresh from their Premier League triumph last weekend.

Southgate has also named Arsenal duo Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka, both of them at the back of their contract renewals with Mikel Arteta’s squad.

Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace, still uncapped, has also been called up together with other high-profile players such as Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, West Ham United’s Declan Rice and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford.

Highly-rated midfielder Jude Bellingham, who is on the brink of a Bundesliga title with Borussia Dortmund, is also included in the squad.

Raheem Sterling of Chelsea is one of the players left out from the squad.

 “It (the short time between the season’s end and the qualifiers) hasn’t influenced selections at all. It is a difficult season for clubs the players and us,” Southgate told a news conference.

“We are always mindful of the welfare of the players and we have to allow players time to recuperate but not to de-condition physically.

“Like every other country we have important qualification matches on our way to Germany.

“We have picked a strong squad and the players always enjoy coming here. I think we will manage it as well as we can.”

SQUAD

GOALKEEPERS: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal).

DEFENDERS: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City).

MIDFIELDERS: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (West Ham United).

FORWARDS: Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), James Maddison (Leicester City), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Callum Wilson (Newcastle United).