In a surprising twist for England fans, two of the Three Lions' key defenders, Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire, have withdrawn from the national team because of injuries, the English Football Association (FA) announced on Sunday.
Walker, who captained England, was substituted after just 20 minutes in the 1-0 loss to Brazil at Wembley Stadium on March 23. The Manchester City star appeared to injure his hamstring in the 12th minute when he made a heroic attempt to save a goal-bound shot from Brazil's Vinicius Junior. Talk about putting your body on the line! 🦁💪
\"We don't know how serious it is,\" England manager Gareth Southgate said after the match. \"He's not had many injuries, so he's not sure if it's just tightness or something more serious. We'll know more over the next few days.\" Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery! 🤞
Meanwhile, Harry Maguire, the defensive rock from Manchester United, is also out due to injury. This double blow leaves England's backline looking a bit shaky as they prepare for upcoming fixtures.
This isn't just a concern for the national team. Manchester City will be hosting Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in their next Premier League showdown on March 31. With City currently sitting third in the table with 63 points after 28 games, just one point behind leaders Arsenal, every match is crucial. The absence of Walker could be a game-changer in the title race. 🏆🔥
Stay tuned, football fans! It looks like the Premier League just got a whole lot more interesting. ⚽️✨
Reference(s):
Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire exit English national team due to injury
cgtn.com
