England have announced that Manchester City attacker Phil Foden has withdrawn from the Three Lions squad after undergoing appendix surgery.
The 22-year-old was named on the bench for his nation's opening Euro 2024 qualifying win over Italy on Thursday, coming off the bench but playing just 12 minutes before being replaced himself.
Foden had initially come on to provide fresh legs in place of teammate Jack Grealish, but Luke Shaw's sending off saw the Man City attacker sacrificed for another defender in Kieran Trippier.
Foden would have been hopeful of forcing his way into the first XI for Sunday's visit of Ukraine to Wembley, which would have represented his 24th appearance in an England jersey.
However, the Three Lions have now revealed that the attacker has been forced to pull out due to appendicitis, and he has since had a successful operation to remove his appendix.
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In a separate statement, Man City stated that Foden would definitely miss Saturday's Premier League showdown with Liverpool, and it is unclear when he might return to action.
The 22-year-old admitted earlier this season that he experienced "one of the worst parts" of his club career while struggling for consistent starts, but he has been an invaluable member of Pep Guardiola's team when fully fit.
Foden has 13 goals and six assists to his name from 36 games in a Man City jersey this season, and news of his surgery will be met with a grimace by Guardiola as the Premier League champions continue to play catch-up to Arsenal.
The Citizens are also sweating on the fitness of star striker Erling Braut Haaland, who pulled out of Norway's squad with a groin problem and is touch-and-go for the imminent visit of Liverpool.
Gareth Southgate has chosen not to call up a last-minute replacement for Sunday's game, meaning that he has just 20 players to select from for their second Group C contest.
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Foden joins Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount, Nick Pope and Reece James in withdrawing from the England squad this month, with the latter pulling out on Saturday, while Shaw is suspended after seeing red against Italy.
With Foden absent, Leicester City playmaker James Maddison is reportedly in line to make his first start for the Three Lions on Sunday, having only earned one cap so far.
The 26-year-old's only previous appearance for England came as a substitute in a Euro 2020 qualifying win against Montenegro in 2019, although injury prevented him from playing any minutes at the World Cup.
However, Southgate and his coaching team are said to have been left impressed with Maddison's off-field demeanour and response to his injury setbacks, and the Leicester man is now poised to take Grealish's place on the left.
Ben Knapton
