Sunday, May 31, 2009

Carrick misses England qualifiers

Carrick played in Man Utd's Champions League final defeat against Barcelona
The Champions League final was Carrick's 43 club game this season

Manchester United's Michael Carrick will miss England's upcoming World Cup qualifiers with a foot injury.

Carrick, 27, will be unavailable for Saturday's trip to Kazakhstan and the home game with Andorra four days later.

His place in the squad has gone to Aston Villa winger James Milner, with the 23-year-old being promoted from England's Under-21 squad.

Midfielder Carrick has not started a competitive game for England since the loss to Croatia in 2006.

The former Spurs star, who played all 90 minutes of Manchester United's Champions League defeat against Barcelona, was unlikely to be first choice for his country.

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BBC Sport

But his absence leaves England coach Fabio Capello with only three recognised central midfielders - Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry - for the two games.

Capello is already without injured goalkeepers David James and Ben Foster, with Paul Robinson earning a recall.

Manchester United's veteran defender Gary Neville was a surprise inclusion in his squad, while Tottenham's Jermain Defoe also came back into the fold after injury.

Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who was thought to require knee surgery, proved his fitness for his club on 24 May and was named in the squad.


Revised England squad:

Scott Carson (West Bromwich Albion), Robert Green (West Ham United), Paul Robinson (Blackburn Rovers)

Wayne Bridge (Manchester City), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), Joleon Lescott (Everton), Gary Neville (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham United)

Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), David Beckham (AC Milan loan from LA Galaxy), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Aston Villa), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Ashley Young (Aston Villa)

Carlton Cole (West Ham United), Peter Crouch (Portsmouth), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

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