Ivan Toney has been rewarded for his excellent Brentford form with a first call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad. The centre-forward is the newest face in a selection that also includes Eric Dier, who is picked for the first time since March 2021.
England will play Nations League ties against Italy in Milan on 23 September and Germany at Wembley three days later. They have started their campaign poorly with two defeats and two draws but the competition for World Cup places adds an extra level of jeopardy for those involved. In particular the inclusion of Toney, whose five top-flight goals this season include a hat-trick against Leeds this month, changes the complexion of the battle to travel as Harry Kane’s understudy.
