England manager Gareth Southgate has insisted that the large number of players to have withdrawn from international duty this month is not down to them prioritising club football.
Having already sealed qualification for next summer's World Cup during the last international break, the Three Lions will play friendlies against Germany and Brazil at Wembley over the next week.
Southgate is without a number of big names for the games, however, with the likes of Harry Kane, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Harry Winks and Raheem Sterling all having pulled out due to injury.
"The players that are injured cannot play," Southgate insisted at a press conference this morning. "I don't take risks with players. It's their livelihood, it's their careers. As a manager you have a duty of care to the players.
"The last two international weeks, every player has been available for their club that weekend. I'm hearing talk of club v country. It's nonsense."
Last month Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted that he was "not happy" with Southgate's decision to play Henderson in spite of the midfielder's recurring heel problems.
Neil Wilkes
