Jack Grealish Earns First England Call-Up After Rashford, Winks Withdraw

Injuries to Marcus Rashford and Harry Winks have opened the door for the Aston Villa star.

LONDON (AP) — Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish was included in England’s squad on Monday for the first time ahead of UEFA Nations League matches against Iceland and Denmark.

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford and Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks have withdrawn from the squad, the Football Association said.

It is midfielder Grealish’s first call-up to the senior squad. He previously represented England at under-21 level and was a member of current England manager Gareth Southgate’s Toulon Tournament-winning squad of 2016.

The selection follows an impressive Premier League campaign in which the 24-year-old Grealish played a pivotal role in keeping Villa in the top tier.

Rashford withdrew with an ankle injury, while Winks has also been forced to return to his club.

England faces Iceland in Reykjavik on Saturday before traveling to Copenhagen to play Denmark three days later.

Southgate’s side has not been in action so far this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, which led to the European Championship being postponed until 2021.