Maguire recalled to England squad

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been named in England’s 30-man squad for the upcoming games against Wales, Belgium and Denmark.

The 27-year-old was initially called up for the Nations League games last month, despite an ongoing court hearing on the Greek island of Syros.

Southgate backed Maguire when announcing his squad in August but was forced to drop the 27-year-old later the same day after he was found guilty of assaulting a police officer, swearing, resisting arrest and bribery following an alleged incident on Mykonos.

There were first call-ups for Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has scored eight goals in the opening five games of the season, as well as Leicester’s Harvey Barnes and Bukayo Saka of Arsenal.

Maguire, who strenuously denies the offences, has appealed against the verdict and subsequent 21-month suspended prison sentence and has since played in United’s two opening Premier League games, as well as the Carabao Cup win at Luton.

While Maguire was included, his Manchester United team-mate Mason Greenwood and Manchester City’s Phil Foden were both missing.

The pair made their senior England debuts last month in Iceland before being fined by local police and sent home for breaching Covid-19 regulations.

Southgate said at the time that “trust needs to be rebuilt” with Greenwood and Foden, who are absent from the squad announced on Thursday.

“I leave this family knowing that our bond is unbreakable and hoping that with the passage of time, our paths would come together again. This is not a divorce. We shall remain bonded forever.”