Jesse Lingard won the last of his 24 caps for England back in 2019. AFP
Jesse Lingard won the last of his 24 caps for England back in 2019. AFP
Jesse Lingard won the last of his 24 caps for England back in 2019. AFP
Jesse Lingard won the last of his 24 caps for England back in 2019. AFP

Jesse Lingard, Luke Shaw and John Stones back in England squad for World Cup triple-header


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England have recalled on-loan West Ham United midfielder Jesse Lingard and also named Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins in their 26-man squad for this month's World Cup qualifying matches against San Marino, Albania and Poland.

Lingard, who has 24 caps but has not featured since 2019, has been one of West Ham's standout players since arriving from Manchester United on loan in January, with four goals and two assists in six matches.

Watkins was rewarded with his first senior call-up for an impressive campaign in which he has scored 10 goals in 27 Premier League matches for Villa.

Leeds striker Patrick Bamford had been widely tipped for a call-up but Southgate has turned to Watkins, who joined the Midlands club from second-tier Brentford in the summer.

West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone has also been called-up for the first time, following an injury to Everton and England No 1 Jordan Pickford, after shining for the struggling Baggies who sit second bottom of the league.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a surprise absence from a squad that also sees Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw and Manchester City centre-half John Stones return after long absences.

Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham has been called up despite concerns over his availability.

The teenager's inclusion is interesting given the Football Association had expected regional coronavirus travel restrictions in Germany to rule him out. Bellingham's Dortmund teammate Jadon Sancho misses out through injury.

Villa's Jack Grealish, James Maddison of Leicester and Chelsea's Tammy Abraham are not included due to injuries.

England have not played since since their last triple-header in November when they beat Republic of Ireland 3-0 in a friendly, then lost to Belgium 2-0 and thrashed Iceland 4-0 in the Nations League.

Southgate said there had been some "close calls" when selecting his squad, including the decision to call up Watkins instead of Bamford.

England 4 Iceland 0: player ratings

  • ENGLAND RATINGS: Jordan Pickford, 5 – Paid tribute to Ray Clemence before kick-off when he placed behind his goal a yellow top with ‘Clemence 1’ on the back. Was untested throughout the game. EPA
    ENGLAND RATINGS: Jordan Pickford, 5 – Paid tribute to Ray Clemence before kick-off when he placed behind his goal a yellow top with ‘Clemence 1’ on the back. Was untested throughout the game. EPA
  • Kieran Trippier, 4 -Probably the quietest of England’s players and saw very little of the ball. Defended well when he had to, but didn’t look comfortable in the wing-back role. Reuters
    Kieran Trippier, 4 -Probably the quietest of England’s players and saw very little of the ball. Defended well when he had to, but didn’t look comfortable in the wing-back role. Reuters
  • Kyle Walker, 6 – Was booked early on for an aggressive challenge on Sigurjonsson and gave away too many free-kicks. The Walker-Trippier axis on the right didn’t work. AP
    Kyle Walker, 6 – Was booked early on for an aggressive challenge on Sigurjonsson and gave away too many free-kicks. The Walker-Trippier axis on the right didn’t work. AP
  • Harry Maguire, 7 – Solid in the tackle, he displayed some expansive passing and even found himself getting forward throughout the game. AP
    Harry Maguire, 7 – Solid in the tackle, he displayed some expansive passing and even found himself getting forward throughout the game. AP
  • Eric Dier. 6 – England’s anchor. Had little to do in the first half but was alert to dangers in the second. Reuters
    Eric Dier. 6 – England’s anchor. Had little to do in the first half but was alert to dangers in the second. Reuters
  • Bukayo Saka, 7 – Didn’t have much defending to do and so relished the chance to get into the final third. Always dangerous, and always finding penetrative positions around the opposition area. AP
    Bukayo Saka, 7 – Didn’t have much defending to do and so relished the chance to get into the final third. Always dangerous, and always finding penetrative positions around the opposition area. AP
  • Declan Rice, 7 – Solid performance at the base of the midfield and got forward to deftly head home Phil Foden’s free kick to open the scoring, and his account in an England shirt. Reuters
    Declan Rice, 7 – Solid performance at the base of the midfield and got forward to deftly head home Phil Foden’s free kick to open the scoring, and his account in an England shirt. Reuters
  • Mason Mount, 8 – A lively and energetic performance. He probed the Iceland defence and looked to get beyond Kane at every opportunity, and was rewarded with a well-taken finish. AP
    Mason Mount, 8 – A lively and energetic performance. He probed the Iceland defence and looked to get beyond Kane at every opportunity, and was rewarded with a well-taken finish. AP
  • Jack Grealish, 8 – A livewire performance once again, drawing fouls in the Iceland half and always looking for the probing pass when cutting in from the left. EPA
    Jack Grealish, 8 – A livewire performance once again, drawing fouls in the Iceland half and always looking for the probing pass when cutting in from the left. EPA
  • Harry Kane, 7 – Constantly involved linking the play, and despite being heavily marked was able to get shots away on goal; he came close with three efforts in the first half. EPA
    Harry Kane, 7 – Constantly involved linking the play, and despite being heavily marked was able to get shots away on goal; he came close with three efforts in the first half. EPA
  • Phil Foden, 9 – So comfortable and always looking to get the ball forward. He came close to scoring in the first half but made no mistake in the second, first converting Sancho’s pass and then threading the ball home from distance. EPA
    Phil Foden, 9 – So comfortable and always looking to get the ball forward. He came close to scoring in the first half but made no mistake in the second, first converting Sancho’s pass and then threading the ball home from distance. EPA
  • SUBS: Tyrone Mings, 6 – Was often found playing in front of the midfield, such was the lack of attacking threat from the opposition. Tidy on the ball. Reuters
    SUBS: Tyrone Mings, 6 – Was often found playing in front of the midfield, such was the lack of attacking threat from the opposition. Tidy on the ball. Reuters
  • Harry Winks, 7 – Played well when he came on. Contributed to an increase in tempo and provided the assist for Foden’s second goal. Reuters
    Harry Winks, 7 – Played well when he came on. Contributed to an increase in tempo and provided the assist for Foden’s second goal. Reuters
  • Jadon Sancho, N/A – Made an instant impact when he came on. Broke into the area from the left and chose not to shoot, and instead set up Foden to score. EPA
    Jadon Sancho, N/A – Made an instant impact when he came on. Broke into the area from the left and chose not to shoot, and instead set up Foden to score. EPA
  • Tammy Abraham, N/A – Didn’t fashion any shooting opportunities but worked hard. Forced Iceland into a defensive clearance that lead to Foden’s second. AFP
    Tammy Abraham, N/A – Didn’t fashion any shooting opportunities but worked hard. Forced Iceland into a defensive clearance that lead to Foden’s second. AFP
  • Ainsley Maitland-Niles, N/A – Looked calm and composed. Didn’t really put a foot wrong and adds further cover to an ever-crowded right side. PA
    Ainsley Maitland-Niles, N/A – Looked calm and composed. Didn’t really put a foot wrong and adds further cover to an ever-crowded right side. PA

"[Bamford was] very close," Southgate told Sky Sports. "There's a number of positions in this squad that have been really close calls and we felt we wanted an extra striker.

"We're really pleased with Harry [Kane] and [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin and what they've done. Tammy Abraham hasn't really been involved for Chelsea over the last four to six weeks.

"And both Ollie and Patrick in particular, their goals record has been good. We like the personalities of both. Ollie is a player we've had less interaction with in the past. It's going to be good to get to know him.

"We like his pressing, the speed and the runs in behind. He's got some improvement to make in linking the game, but in his first season in the Premier League at a big club, he's done exceptionally well.

"That's been a really close call because all the things I've said about Ollie I could have said for Patrick as well, so he's very unfortunate."

As for Lingard's recall, Southgate added: "We have injuries in attacking areas which have opened up an opportunity for Jesse. I have to say his performances for West Ham have been excellent. We know he can perform at the level."

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Al Jazira 3 (O Abdulrahman 43', Kenno 82', Mabkhout 90 4')

Al Ain 1 (Laba 39')

Red cards: Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain)

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Traits of Chinese zodiac animals

Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent   

Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?

The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.

Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.

New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.

“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.

The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.

The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.

Bloomberg

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First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6

Scoreline:

Barcelona 2

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Atletico Madrid 0

Red card: Diego Costa 28' (Atletico)

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PRESIDENTS CUP

Draw for Presidents Cup fourball matches on Thursday (Internationals first mention). All times UAE:

02.32am (Thursday): Marc Leishman/Joaquin Niemann v Tiger Woods/Justin Thomas
02.47am (Thursday): Adam Hadwin/Im Sung-jae v Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay
03.02am (Thursday): Adam Scott/An Byeong-hun v Bryson DeChambeau/Tony Finau
03.17am (Thursday): Hideki Matsuyama/CT Pan v Webb Simpson/Patrick Reed
03.32am (Thursday): Abraham Ancer/Louis Oosthuizen v Dustin Johnson/Gary Woodland

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Abu Dhabi GP schedule

Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm

Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm

Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm