England squad: Lee Carsley calls up Dominic Solanke but leaves out Harry Maguire and overlooks James Maddison again

Dominic Solanke has been recalled after a seven-year absence, while Harry Maguire is left out and James Maddison is overlooked again; England face Greece at Wembley on October 10 and travel to Finland on October 13 as their Nations League campaign continues under interim boss Lee Carsley

Image: Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke is back in the England squad

Dominic Solanke has received his first England call-up in seven years but Harry Maguire has been left out of the latest squad named by interim boss Lee Carsley.

Solanke, 27, has scored three goals in his past three appearances for Tottenham and will now have the chance to add to his solitary England cap, which he earned as a sub against Brazil in a friendly in 2017, when the Three Lions face Greece and Finland in the Nations League this month.

Image: Dominic Solanke has been one of the Premier League's top performers since the start of last season

However, Carsley - who continues to oversee the national team while the FA decides on a permanent successor to Gareth Southgate - has left Manchester United centre-back Maguire out of his group. The defender missed United's defeat to Tottenham on Sunday with an injury but was in the club's travelling squad to play Porto in the Europa League on Thursday night. ​​​​

"Harry was very positive in the conversation we had," said Carsley about Maguire, who featured during last month's Nations League opener against Republic of Ireland. "It was a case of talking about what the decision was, we have some really good centre-backs who are keen to play. Harry still has an important part to play in this squad in the campaign."

Image: Harry Maguire played in England's win over Republic of Ireland last month

Solanke's Spurs team-mate James Maddison has once again been overlooked by the interim boss, while Jarrod Bowen and Eberechi Eze - who appeared as subs in both fixtures last month - have been dropped, as has Tino Livramento.

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Jude Bellingham is back in the fold after missing the September games with injury, as is Kyle Walker.

Morgan Rogers, who has made an impressive start to the season for Aston Villa, is set to once again be with the U21 squad rather than the seniors.

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"It was a chance to have a look at other players," said Carsley on the omissions. "It's nothing to do with form. It's looking at the next two camps to look at other players.

"The players left out all have a case but we saw the benefit in the last camp of the squad being fresh, feeling fresh and a lot of energy in it. It's not just a copy and a paste, I want them to feel like they all have earned their place in the squad. People want to know where they stand long-term, I've told all the players this is a short-term situation."

England currently sit second in their Nations League Group B2, level on points with Greece having beaten Ireland and Finland in Carsley's first two games in charge.

England will host Greece at Wembley on Thursday October 10 before going to Finland on Sunday October 13.

Paul Merson says the England job is Lee Carsley's to lose and believes he is good enough to take the national team forward

England's October Nations League squad in full

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Nick Pope (Newcastle).

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), John Stones (Man City), Rico Lewis (Man City), Kyle Walker (Man City).

Midfielders: Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottm Forest), Angel Gomes (Lille), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Phil Foden (Man City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid).

Forwards: Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Jack Grealish (Man City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham).

Maddison absence surprising after solid Spurs start

Image: James Maddison's stats this season

Sky Sports' Sam Blitz:

The usual annual James Maddison cycle goes: start the season really well, get into the England squad, get injured or see a drop-off in form and then miss out on the Three Lions spot.

This year, however, Maddison has started the season brilliantly for Tottenham and that still is not enough to get into Lee Carsley's set-up.

The midfielder's absence from this squad is particularly surprising given Dominic Solanke has been named in this England squad.

The pair have been excellent together in the Spurs attack but only one has made the cut. Is it the right call?

Seven years on, Solanke gets another England shot

Sky Sports' Peter Smith:

Seven years. It's been a long wait for Dominic Solanke to return to the England fold but the in-form Tottenham forward gets his chance to add to his solitary cap this month. And deservedly so, given the performances of the former Chelsea and Liverpool forward for Bournemouth last season and in his initial outings for new club Spurs.

Solanke - who has three in three for his club - made his England debut as a sub against Brazil in a 2017 friendly at Wembley. He will be aiming to run out at the national stadium again next Thursday. There will be plenty of competition for game time, though, with Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins also included...

'Give Palmer the keys'

Image: Sky Sports' Nick Wright picks his England XI

Sky Sports' Nick Wright:

I'm firmly in agreement with Jamie Carragher. Cole Palmer is too good not to start for England. With six goals and four assists in the Premier League this season, to add to the 22 and 11 respectively he contributed last term, he continues to scale new heights.

Time to give him the keys and that means putting him at No 10. The 22-year-old is just as effective from the right, of course. But Bukayo Saka's quality and consistency make him undroppable, in my opinion. It therefore makes most sense to have Palmer on the inside.

Readjustment would be required elsewhere to make this work. But I think it's worth it. Jude Bellingham can drop deeper, into a box-to-box role alongside Declan Rice. Phil Foden, meanwhile, has to wait in the wings, with Anthony Gordon's pace making him an invaluable outlet on the left flank.

New role for Palmer?

If he is not given the keys to the England squad just yet, interim boss Lee Carsley might opt to use Cole Palmer in more surprising roles across the starting lineup.

Carsley has praised the versatility of the Chelsea star ahead of the upcoming international break, while also admitting he could play in the holding midfield role.

"You just want Cole on the ball," he said when asked about Palmer's best position.

"Any area that he is on the ball, he is effective. He stands out so much because we haven't always produced these types of players who can receive the ball under pressure, play forward, be creative and play numerous positions.

"We are producing players that are multi-positional and can do different things. Can play deep, wide, as a nine and a ten.

"For the 21s we played him as a holding midfielder."

Carsley was later asked about who could potentially fill the void at left-back with Luke Shaw yet to return to full fitness, where he added: "[Trent Alexander-Arnold] he can play there. Bukayo [Saka] and Cole can play there.

"There's quite a few but you want to get the best out of them in their most natural positions. It's important that we aren't predictable."

England's upcoming fixtures

England host Greece at Wembley on October 10 at 7.45pm. Lee Carsely's men then travel to the Helsinki Olympic Stadium to take on Finland on October 13 at 5pm.

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