Manchester City players have been a big part of the England squad for a number of years now.
Since Pep Guardiola has been at the club, Gareth Southgate regularly turned to players from the Etihad Stadium, which was understandable.
Some of this country’s finest talents don the sky blue shirt and we have seen many step up in a Three Lions shirt in recent years.
Southgate of course, is no longer the England manager after stepping down following Euro 2024.
Lee Carsley is now in place as the interim manager, and he has today named his first squad.
Four City stars have made it in, with Jack Grealish returning after being left out of the Euro’s squad by Southgate.
The others are Phil Foden, John Stones and Rico Lewis, who has been rewarded for his fine early-season form.
But interestingly, there is no place for Kyle Walker.
Lee Carsley explains why he has left Man City defender Kyle Walker out of his first England squad
It has come as a slight surprise today that Walker has not been selected for the latest England squad.
Walker featured in every game for England at the Euros, and has been a staple pick for Southgate, despite the number of options at right-back.
But Walker has not been picked by Carsley, who did explain today why he came to the decision.
He told reporters earlier (as quoted by Daily Mail): “I wanted to put a mark on the squad. Kyle hasn’t played this season.
“City are phasing him in gently and we have to respect that.”
Walker has a battle on his hands with Rico Lewis
- READ MORE: Who is Rico Lewis? The Man City prodigy who is one of the best Pep Guardiola has ever trained
Carsley may have put Walker’s omission down to not playing yet this season, but this feels like an easy reason to give for leaving him out.
Walker – who has been described as ‘elite’ by Chelsea’s Reece James – would surely have hoped to be in that first squad.
While Walker has served England quite well over the years, it can now be argued that he is on the decline. For City last season, Walker was a level below most of his teammates, and did not hit the same standards he set in the Treble-winning campaign.
Pep Guardiola declared recently that Foden and Walker were two players who were ready to go, despite returning late.
But the Spaniard has not brought the £50 million man back into the team yet, with Lewis starting against Chelsea and Ipswich Town and shining in both games.
Unlike Walker, Lewis has made Carsley’s first England squad and one just feels that this is significant.
It shows Walker definitely now has a battle on his hands with the teenager, for both club and country, and that Walker is going to really have to step up if he is to get back into the team and stay there.
