October 05, (THEWILL) – England manager, Gareth Southgate, has announced the inclusion of Aston Villa striker, Ollie Watkins and West Ham forward, Jarrod Bowen, in the country’s squad for the upcoming international break in October.
The squad will be facing Australia in a friendly match on October 13, followed by a Euro 2024 qualifying Group C game against Italy on October 17. Watkins, who has been in scintillating form recently, earned his call-up after impressing with his performances for Aston Villa. He scored a hat-trick and provided an assist in a 6-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, as well as netting three goals in a Europa Conference League qualifying win over Hibernia.
This will be Watkins’ first call-up since March 2022, and he will be looking to make an impact for the national team once again. Bowen, on the other hand, has been selected for the England squad for the second time. He previously earned his first call-up for the Nations League fixtures in June 2022. The West Ham attacker has been in fine form this season, scoring five goals in seven Premier League games. His inclusion in the squad highlights his consistent performances and the recognition he has received for his contributions to his club.
In addition to Watkins and Bowen, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has also been included in the squad, despite suffering a hamstring injury in their UEFA Champions League clash against Lens. However, his availability for Arsenal’s English Premier League match against champions Manchester City remains uncertain, as he is still being assessed. Harry Maguire also made the list amidst a struggle for minutes in the Manchester United roster.
Overall, the England squad for the October international break features a mix of experienced players and promising talents. The inclusion of Watkins and Bowen adds depth and attacking options to the team, while Saka’s presence provides versatility in the forward line if he passes the fitness hurdle.
The full squad includes:
GOALKEEPERS
Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace)
Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
DEFENDERS
Levi Colwill (Chelsea)
Lewis Dunk (Brighton)
Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)
Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
John Stones (Manchester City)
Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)
Kieran Trippier (Newcastle)
Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
MIDFIELDERS
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Conor Gallagher (Chelsea)
Jordan Henderson (Al Ettifaq)
Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City)
Declan Rice (Arsenal)
FORWARDS
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)
Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Jack Grealish (Manchester City)
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
James Maddison (Tottenham)
Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal)
Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
