At 4pm this Wednesday, at the Estadio Antonio Barbadillo in Cádiz, England U18 return to action with the first of three friendlies, kicking off against Uzbekistan. With a squad boasting rare depth and quality at this age group, the Young Lions will be aiming to make a strong statement early on – not only to secure their place in future squads, but also to stake a claim for starting roles.
England line-up against Uzbekistan :
Liam Bramley has called up a highly promising 23-man squad, made up almost entirely of last year’s U17s. The one new face is Tottenham forward Tynan Thompson, earning his first involvement at this level. Among the more established names is Leicester midfielder Louis Page, who has recently broken into the Foxes’ senior side, coming off the bench in their last two fixtures and registering an assist at the weekend.
One notable absentee is Rio Ngumoha – the hugely talented Liverpool winger was initially named in the group, but has since stepped up to the U19s to cover for an injury elsewhere. That leaves Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez as the only player in the squad based abroad. The Lyon striker enjoyed a prolific campaign with England’s U17s last season, scoring nine goals in ten matches.
England’s starting XI to face Uzbekistan :
- Freddy Bernal (Chelsea FC)
- Freddie Simmonds (Brighton and Hove Albion)
- Malachy Hardy (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Landon Emenalo (Chelsea FC)
- Bradley Burrowes (Aston Villa)
- Reggie Walsh (Chelsea FC)
- Finlay Gorman (Manchester City)
- Igor Tyjon (Blackburn Rovers)
- Luca Williams Barnett (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Harry Howell (Brighton and Hove Albion)
- Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez (Olympique Lyonnais)
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