Jordan Henderson has been added to the England squad for the Nations League double-header against Italy and Germany after making a faster than expected return from injury.
Henderson has missed Liverpool’s last five matches with a hamstring problem and has not featured since the 2-1 win over Newcastle on August 31.
As a result, Gareth Southgate left one of his most experienced figures out of his final camp before ehe names his squad for the World Cup in Qatar, but has now drafted the Reds skipper back into the fold.
Henderson’s return bolsters Southgate’s midfield options after it emerged that Kalvin Phillips will undergo surgery on a shoulder problem and could face a race against time to be fit for the tournament.
Phillips excelled alongside Declan Rice in the centre of midfield at Euro 2020, with Henderson playing a reduced role having only just recovered fitness in time for the tournament, though he did break his long England scoring duck in the 4-0 quarter-final win over Ukraine.
Jude Bellingham is pushing for a place in Southgate’s starting lineup after continuing his fine form with Borussia Dortmund, while James Ward-Prowse is the only other specialist central midfielder available after Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher was left out of the squad.